Survivors of the devastating Texas floods are now grappling with looters who are targeting homes in a heartless bid to exploit the chaos.
Homeowners like Kyle Hammock from Kerrville told Daily Mail he has been on alert after he noticed strangers ‘snooping’ around his riverfront home.
By Tuesday, Hammock continued to clear mud brought in by the floods, which have resulted in over 110 deaths and have more than 160 individuals still unaccounted for.
He said that he noticed tire tracks in the layer of dust left by the storms over July 4 that ravaged the Hill Country.
‘They drove in and they’re tried to cut across the yard and they were getting stuck so there’s these giant ruts,’ he said about the looters.
Hammock added that he fears potential looters are mixing themselves in with well-meaning strangers.
‘There’s just been a handful of people that are up to no good, just checking stuff out,’ Hammock said. ‘We had to run a couple of people out.’
Volunteers are walking up and down the banks of the Guadalupe River on his property in Center Point- just outside of Kerrville.
Kyle Hammock from Kerrville told Daily Mail he is already on guard after he noticed people ‘snooping’ around his riverfront home
Hammock believes looters are mixing in with well-meaning strangers. Destruction at his property is pictured above
But Hammock believes looters are mixing in with volunteers.
‘They were just snooping. They’re not searching. They’re not cutting.’
After the water receded at the rental home owner by Hammock and his wife, the couple began clean up efforts.
They have already cut out wet sheetrock and taken out debris and ruined furniture.
A flag pole that stood on the property was knocked down by flood water, so Hammock decided to hang Old Glory on the storm-damaged wooden deck.
‘I got the flag out of the mud and I washed it off and I hung it on our deck.’
Despite using screws to secure it, the banner was discovered to be missing after the night the intruders were at his home.
But then 24 hours later, the Star Spangled Banner was returned to a neighbor, not to him.
Hammock said that he noticed tire tracks in the layer of dust left by the storms over July 4 that ravaged the Hill Country
‘The flag shows unity and strength and we’re going rebuild.
Despite the unwelcome visitors taking and then returning his property, Hammock did not want to bother police by reporting the incident.
‘I think the law and everybody is pretty overwhelmed right now,’ he said.
With local police focused on the search and recovery of flood victims, Hammock feels the most effective way to protect his home is to keep a shotgun at arm’s reach.
The Kerr County Sheriff’s Office could not confirm whether they have received other reports of looting, and did not respond to Daily Mail’s request.
However, officials are warning locals about scams.
Beds and belongings are scattered outside Camp Mystic where 27 campers and counselors died during the floods
The state’s attorney general has warned scammers and others will take advantage of this natural disaster to prey on victims.
‘There are no words for how wrong it is that morally bankrupt people are trying to take advantage of Texans by using this tragedy to scam them,’ AG Ken Paxton said in a press release Monday.
Paxton warned scammers who masquerade as contractors, promising to help folks rebuild, are incredibly common during disasters like this.
He added price gouging is another common practice.
Anyone who is victimized by scammers during the flood recovery is asked to report it to the Attorney General’s toll-free complaint line at 1-800-621-0508 or file an online complaint here.
