Amid the climate tragedy in Rio Grande do Sul, with floods and floods caused by storms, Gauchos have also suffered from incidents of shootings and looting. On Monday night (6) and Tuesday morning (7), videos were published showing the actions of criminals in Porto Alegrein the state capital.
In one of the published records, police prevent suspects from looting people in Porto Alegre. “Today is the 6th, 11 pm, we just escaped from the Mathias viaduct [no bairro Mathias Velho]. People are exchanging fire and were going to the accommodation, don’t go there”, advised a resident.
According to the People’s Gazette, in some parts of the state, residents have refused to leave their flooded homes, for fear of being looted. The portal also reported that, in the municipality of Arroio do Meio, for example, in Vale do Taquari, the mayor even asked for reinforcement in patrolling by the Tactical Force of the Military Brigade due to the criminal incidents recorded in recent days — there, a man allegedly was murdered with spear blows and another was reportedly shot.
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Grêmio’s official store, at the club’s stadium, in Porto Alegre, was reportedly looted last weekend. Furthermore, in Canoas, another municipality in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, boats used to rescue victims were reportedly stolen and robbers were using boats and jet-skis to reach properties and invade evacuated homes and businesses.
In another case registered in Canoas, still according to the People’s Gazetterobbers would have taken over a boat full of homeless people, but would have been quickly captured because there were two police officers on the boat.
The general commander of the Military Brigade of Rio Grande do Sul, colonel Cláudio Feoli, told the Globe that, due to the situation, police officers had their vacations canceled and were called to work last weekend. Policing in Canoas and São Leopoldo would also have been reinforced to prevent the wave of crimes. “We are working in a war scenario”, commented the colonel.
The context has even frightened volunteers working to rescue the victims. Many would, according to Globe, driving vessels armed with rifles. Furthermore, the population would be suffering from the opportunism of those who would be charging to make rescues. The local police would have received, for example, a complaint that boatmen were charging R$500 to rescue flood victims — R$600, if the person has domestic animals.
