By Garry Mitchell, The Associated Press
MOBILE, Ala. (AP) - Price-gouging and fraud, including scams in which crooks pose as federally approved contractors, have been reported in Alabama in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan.
“We’ve had over 100 complaints about price-gouging in coastal areas - everything from people raising prices of ice, hotel rooms, plywood and generators,” Attorney General Troy King said Tuesday.
Some people have falsely represented themselves as FEMA-approved contractors, telling storm victims to pay in advance and seek reimbursement later from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The concern over Ivan-related crime prompted authorities to issue alerts Tuesday and make clear wrecked homes, shops and boats are being protected.
State Marine Police Lt. Alex Smith said boats tossed about by a hurricane often end up miles from the beach marinas and become theft targets. Thieves strip boats that appear abandoned or tossed into trees.
“We’ve had three reports of people looting boats, south of Foley in Baldwin County,” Smith said, declining to give the exact locations because of police stakeouts.
“The pirates are on the water,” cautioned hurricane veteran Terry Palmer of Williams Boat Works in south Mobile County.
Palmer said he has extra security in his boatyard on Fowl River. He had about five boats broken into after a storm a few years ago, he said.
King said 20 investigators from his office are handling the price-gouging complaints. Based in Gulf Shores, he said they can be recognized by the bright yellow T-shirts they are wearing. Additional investigators from AG offices in other states have joined the statewide effort, King said.
An Alabama law, enacted after reports of motel rates doubling as Hurricane Opal sent evacuees in search of rooms in 1995, prohibits gouging during declared natural disasters. Under the law, prices of rooms and goods must not be increased more than 25 percent above the average price during the prior month.
King warned that anyone attempting to profit “off misery and disaster” will be prosecuted.
The attorney general traveled to Gulf Shores for a news conference Tuesday afternoon with local authorities in Baldwin and Mobile counties sounding an alert about Ivan-related crime. National Guard members have joined local police in protecting the devastated coastline.
“There are extraordinary resources being deployed. There are extraordinary assets being muscled together to make sure that this area is safe,” King said.
Baldwin County District Attorney David Whetstone said some curfews may be extended to protect property.
“If you’re out picking up things and you can’t prove who you are or that you own it, you’re liable to br arrested in Baldwin County,” Whetstone said.
Mobile County District Attorney John Tyson added that citizens should be vigilant to call police about violators.
“We have a few who are misbehaving, but the vast majority of the people in Mobile County are behaving themselves and helping each other in times of emergency,” he said.
Among steps being taken by authorities are closer marine police patrols. Smith said the police have “pretty much secured” Orange Beach and Ono Island, a private community of mansions and yachts near Perdido Pass.
“I don’t think we have that much of a problem there,” Smith said.
Palmer said he had been in touch with a friend on Ono Island. He said the boats were there - “just underwater.”
Attempts to recover boats in the coastal area hit by Ivan require ownership papers. Smith said a person cannot just claim to represent the boat’s owner in retrieving a vessel. A copy of the boat registration, ID, bill of sale or letter from the owner is required.
Baldwin County Sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. John Murphy said about eight Ivan-related incidents have been investigated as of Tuesday, including one case of looting. Seven arrests have been made since Sept. 16 in hurricane-related incidents, Murphy said.
Foley police had no major Ivan-related crimes and have joined the price-gouging patrol, a police spokesman.
A spokesman for Gulf Shores police was not immediately available.