In addition to the climate tragedy, residents face a series of crimes in shelters and homes

More than 2.3 million people were directly affected by the floods and landslides that hit RS, the death toll has now reached 155 people, amid the anguish of losing family members and belongings, the population finds itself facing another problem serious, the crimes that have occurred mainly inside shelters and in homes hastily abandoned by residents.

The occurrences continue to grow, in this period alone 130 people have already been arrested for such crimes, 48 ​​being suspected of property crimes and 49 for committing crimes inside shelters. The Gaucho Police have intensified their patrols, even at night, to inhibit the actions of criminals.

In Vale do Taquari, one of the regions most affected by floods, a resident published a video reporting that her store had been invaded and looted. Businesswoman Marinez Silva Hauenstein vented on her social networks, dismayed by the increase in crime and the inability to protect her work materials.

She reported, in an interview with G1, that, of the five stores the family had, only the one in Arroio do Meio would have been unharmed after the flood. What would have been a fresh start, only indignation remained. The loss is estimated at around 2 million reais, including products lost in the flood and stolen products.

^{Store robbed in Arroio do Meio (Video: reproduction/Instagram/@martinezsilvahauensteimd)}

Crimes amid chaos

Other regions of RS are also being affected by criminals, in Eldorado do Sul, in the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre, the overt policing is inoperative due to access blocks to the main roads in the region. Several stolen products, such as household appliances and even tractors, are already being returned to their owners after the arrest of the suspects.

The number of police officers is being reinforced, the Military Brigade has made 70 boats available to patrol the region, 17,800 police officers are on active duty and a task force has been created with the suspension of vacations and reduction of breaks between shifts.

Part of the garrison is providing security in shelters, after records of sexual crimes in the facilities, entire families are in these locations, increasing vulnerability and facilitating the action of suspects.

^{Drugs found with donations (Reproduction/Civil Police/Disclosure)}

Police seize drugs amid donations

The 1st Drug Trafficking Investigation Station (DIN) of the State Department of Drug Trafficking Investigations (Denarc), managed to seize drugs that were camouflaged along with food that would be donated to the victims of the tragedy, father and son were arrested in the act in a residence in Belém Velho , in the South Zone of Porto Alegre.

Many donations are also being lost to other locations, due to the great national commotion, products have arrived from different parts of the country and the world and opportunists are taking advantage to steal supplies and personal hygiene products.

In Santa Catarina, the Federal Highway Police seized 1kg of crack and 52kg of cocaine, the material was in a truck carrying donations to RS, the drug was hidden in the vehicle's spare tire, and one person was arrested in the act.

Featured photo: flooded area in Rio Grande do Sul (Reproduction/Nelson Almeida/AFP/via Getty Images Embed)