7 looting suspects arrested in storm-ravaged Kansas town(4 soldiers, 1 reserve police)

[RamboLiberal]

Source: CNN/AP

Four soldiers and a reserve police officer were arrested Sunday on suspicion of looting cigarettes and alcohol from a store in this tornado-ravaged town, state officials said.

In a separate incident, two people wearing Red Cross jackets who were not members of the relief agency were arrested Sunday on suspicion of looting, said Sharon Watson, a spokeswoman for the adjutant general's office. She did not have any additional details.

The soldiers from Fort Riley Army base and the reserve police officer had come to assist on their own and were not part of any official detachment, said Maj. Gen. Tod Bunting, the state's adjutant general.

"These were people who weren't supposed to be there," Bunting said.



Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/05/06/tornadoes.looting.ap/index.html

[Erika]

1. I hate to say it but I will...What types of volunteer soldiers

are we now recruiting? I don't say this lightly because I have my own there. But circumstances are changing and it might change the quality of recruits.

[magellan]

2. That was my first thought too

Very unsettling in any case.

[Erika]

3. A Korean war vet told me that mercenaries is what has now

become of our volunteer military. Very sobering.

[magellan]

5. And these are the people we're hoping aren't going to shoot us

...if it ever comes to martial law? Sounds more like it's all part of the plan to me.

[Solly Mack]

11. You're right though

[AlCzervik]

4. well when you lower the standards don't be surprised when people with

lower standards join.

[tabasco]

16. They let just about anybody in anymore.

The Bush mafia lowered the standards because they only want cannon fodder for their oil wars.

Serious criminal record? No problem! We need bullet catchers in Fallujah!

The Bush mafia doesn't really care about the military. Only the profits.

[bluestateguy]

6. I wonder when Ken Phelps and his crowd are going top show up

nt

[proud2BlibKansan]

17. Who is Ken Phelps?

[Mabus]

21. If you mean the Fred Phelps gang, they don't protest in Kansas

At least they don't protest very often. When they do, they don't get any attention because the press won't cover them. One of the reasons the Phelps Phamily travel around the country is because they get more attention outside Kansas than they do in-state.

Or were you referring to the major league ball player, Ken Phelps, who was drafted by the KC Royals back in the 70's? As far as I know he's out in Arizona and has no reason to show up in Kansas.

[Heidi]

7. Kick.

:kick:

[Catalyst]

8. This is news?

Liquor & Smokes huh? Who cares. I doubt it's as bad as the looting being done by New Orleans Police during Katrina.

[pokercat999]

9. I mean really.......looting? Maybe a year or two in the

slammer will cure their bad habit of stealing the supplies for their bad habits. If the are guilty this is a serious crime. It doesn't matter WHAT they stole it's that they violated the trust (mis)placed in our military and police.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[chiffon]

14. You're right...After day 2,3, 4, or 5---Time to loot food and water

[Tarheel_Dem]

23. Seems I broke some rule for calling a spade a spade?

since my post was deleted. Maybe I misinterpreted your post? Maybe you forgot the little "sarcasm" thingy? A crime is a crime no matter who commits it. What the NOPD did during those horrible days of Katrina in no way mitigates what these guys did. If this is true, they should be prosecuted.

[Mabus]

25. Stealing from people who have just lost everything is horrendous

It is a horrible thing to do. It is horrendous when it is done by people who, using their official capacity (uniforms, badge), to loot people who lost everything. Who knows? Maybe the grocery and liquor stores were their last stops. According to the way I read the article, those in uniform (the cop, the soldiers and the faux Red Cross workers) were allowed free access to the area. In other words, they may have already gone through the remains of private homes and other businesses and either loaded up or were unable to find anything of value.

This also reinforces the stories I've heard about the thriving underground economy in and around the Ft. Riley area. While it is conceivable that they were only looting alcohol and cigarettes that they themselves would most likely consume, the chances are that they were getting items they knew they could resell at the base. In my book, looting after a disaster for anything other than survivial or medical emergencies isn't cool. And when it is done under these situations I don't feel like I can call it looting.

[rodeodance]

12. drats--I really hate to see stuff like happening!

[catmandu57]

13. It sounds like last nights episode of the Simpsons

The volunteer fire dept. looting Springfield.

[Beetwasher]

15. Holy Shit!

You're right! Talk about prescient. :wow:

[proud2BlibKansan]

18. I am a Kansan and you know what is interesting about this?

Fort Riley is REEEEALLY far away from Greensburg. I'd say maybe 200 miles? Yet we are to believe these soldiers from Fort Riley went all the way down to Greensburg on their own to LOOT?

Something fishy going on here, folks.

[Mabus]

20. It's a 3 1/2 hour drive, were they using military equipment?

It's a 215 mile, 3 hour and 39 minute drive from Ft. Riley to Greensburg according to Google maps (just used "ft. riley, ks" and "greensburg, ks"). I wonder if they drove a personal vehicle down there or whether they co-opted a vehicle from the base.

And a cop! A reserve cop from a nearby town. What an ass.

This is just disgusting. Stealing from people who have lost everything. Not to mention that they were looting when there still may be people trapped in basements.

[proud2BlibKansan]

24. An article in The Star says they were assigned to do

cleanup in Greensburg. But this article from Wichita says they got there on their own. So who knows what to think?

[donsu]

19. I couldn't decide if I was reading the thread title right - soldiers? cop?

not that I had any trouble believing it. it was the uniforms, 4 soldiers and a cop

have been trying to imagine what it is like to have a life one moment, and several minutes later have nothing but a jumble of sticks and bricks. period.

[uppityperson]

22. k&r for irony