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AG Strange, Rep. Merrill Introduce Bill that Makes Looting a Felony

By WNCF

Story Created: Feb 16, 2012 at 10:33 PM CDT

Story Updated: Feb 17, 2012

Attorney General Luther Strange and state Representative John Merrill introduced a bill Thursday that makes looting a felony.

It's punishable by up to ten years behind bars and a fine of up to $15,000.

Strange and Merrill say they were both asked to have legislation like this to protect the people of Alabama from this type of crime.

“When we lost over 200 people and, there was such a pouring of these people going to prey on them struck me that something had to be done,” said AG Strange.

“I think that it's very important for to be able to send a message to them that this is not going to be tolerated and that we are going to find them, we're going to hunt them down, and we're going to prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law,” said Rep. Merrill, bill sponsor.

This legislation is getting support from both sides of the aisle.

In the house, it already has 54 co-sponsors.

If passed, this law would only be in effect during declared states of emergency.