Yep. I wondered the same thing myself until I heard/read that statistic. No doubt the folks committing these crimes have been engaging in illegal activities regularly before this week.
Exactly. The media has sounded like the squalid conditions are creating the crimes, instead of the truth that these people are criminals in the first place, and taking advantage of the situation they are in to commit further crimes.
(It is also my understanding that some of these refugees were prisoners who got released because of the flood..........which would all by itself, account for the increase).