Police believe that there are arsonists deliberately targeting groceries so that they can loot after the Fire Service put out such blazes, following two fires in the North Eastern Division in the past four weeks.
The most recent incident took place yesterday morning.
According to fire officials, they had to rescue a family of eight who lived above the Benefit The People Supermarket along the Eastern Main Road, Barataria, after they became trapped when a fire started in the building around 2 am.
By the time the blaze was put under control an estimated $12 million in damage was done to the goods alone. A cost to the structural damage had not been assessed up to yesterday.
By 7 am, however, people from all over flocked to the scene and began toting off shopping carts filled with goods, including diapers, alcohol and groceries.
By 9 am, police attached to the North Eastern Division Task Force had the area secured and the looting subsided. But this did not deter potential looters from lurking around.
Police said several people were searched and found to have knapsacks, market bags and other bags stacked inside each other, presumably to be used to pilfer items from the grocery.
Police said no one was arrested and they spoke to the owners, who were informed the police presence was only temporary and that they needed to hire security to secure their property.
While police were at the scene, however, the owners tried to weld holes the looters were using to steal the goods.
Last Saturday, a similar incident took place at the burnt out D&J Budget Mart at Prizgar Road, San Juan. Police said the fire took place on November 21 but the owner had hired Heller Security to protect his belongings.
On December 9 the security detail was removed and the following day looters carted off everything they could before the police arrived to protect the wholesale business.
The looting last Saturday was also captured and shared on social media. The estimated damage for the wholesale business was $12 million.
Police have since deduced that there may be a gang of "hungry bandits" targeting places so they can loot from them following a fire, since most of the goods might be insured or considered damaged and useless to the owners.
Police are also warning people about purchasing edible items from unscrupulous businessmen who will sell damaged goods at a reduced price.