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April 26, 2026, 11:30 AM ET — Escambia County law enforcement is looking back at two criminal cases that unfolded in the chaotic hours after Hurricane Isaias battered the Florida Panhandle. An attempted store break-in and a vehicle theft carried out under the guise of a simple phone-charging request led to three arrests, highlighting the types of opportunistic crimes that can take root while communities are still recovering from a storm.
The incidents occurred while thousands of residents were without electricity, and deputies were actively patrolling areas hit hardest by the storm. Sheriff Simmons said officers were on heightened alert for anyone looking to exploit the vulnerability of residents and businesses during the outage.
The first case involved a man accused of attempting to break into a 24-hour convenience store along Gulf Beach Highway. Glass from the smashing front window littered the pavement as the storm’s outer bands still brought gusty winds to the area, the sheriff’s office reported.
Deputies on patrol spotted the man at the scene and ordered him to stop. Instead of complying, the suspect attempted to run, but officers quickly caught up with him and took him into custody. Authorities later identified the man but did not release his name in the initial update, opting instead to list the charges.
The suspect now faces an extensive array of legal counts, including:
Florida has long maintained enhanced criminal penalties for looting and burglary during a declared state of emergency. The charge in this case reflects that legal framework, which is designed to deter individuals from using storms as cover for criminal activity.
The sheriff’s office noted that the store had no power at the time, and the alarm system may have been inoperable — making the business an easy target for anyone seeking to steal merchandise.
In a second, unrelated case, a man and a woman were arrested after they allegedly used a sympathetic story to steal a woman’s car. According to the sheriff’s office, the pair approached the victim and said they were in town for storm recovery work. They explained that their phone was dead and that they had no way to communicate with their crew because the power outage had prevented them from charging it.
The victim offered to let the pair charge their phone using her car’s power outlet. While the woman stepped away, the suspects allegedly jumped into the driver’s seat and drove off. The vehicle was located quickly, thanks to a patrol deputy who happened to be nearby. Deputy Beatty initiated a pursuit, which ended when the stolen car crashed. No serious injuries were reported.
The suspects were identified as Dustin Lee Kelly, 30, and Amanda Marie Carr, 29. Kelly was charged with vehicle theft, the sheriff said. Carr was also taken into custody, though authorities did not specify her charges in the video update. It was unclear whether Carr served as the other driver’s accomplice or had a separate role in the incident.
Vehicle thefts during disaster recovery are more common than many people realize, according to auto insurance experts. Stolen cars often are used to transport stolen goods or as temporary transportation during a storm. Owners are reminded to never leave vehicles running and unlocked, even for a few minutes, and to be cautious when letting strangers into or near their vehicles.
Sheriff Simmons said deputies had been deployed across the county throughout the Hurricane Isaias recovery period. In the aftermath of the storm, many roads were blocked by fallen trees, and power crews were restoring electricity line by line. These conditions gave criminals a certain degree of cover, which is why the sheriff’s office increased its visible presence in neighborhoods and commercial districts.
“These arrests should serve as a warning,” Sheriff Simmons said in a statement. “We will not tolerate anyone using a disaster as an opportunity to prey on others. Our deputies are out there, and we will arrest those who try to take advantage of this situation.”
The sheriff’s office also encouraged residents to report suspicious behavior immediately. During a widespread outage, monitoring systems and surveillance cameras may be down, making neighbors and passersby the first line of defense.
The department offered these safety tips for future storm events:
The two incidents in Escambia County are part of a larger pattern observed in many hurricane-affected communities. Studies of post-disaster crime have shown that burglaries and vehicle thefts sometimes spike in the days after a storm, especially when power outages and flooded streets hinder normal patrol activity. Opportunists may target unoccupied homes, darkened businesses, and vehicles left running for quick getaways.
Emergency management officials recommend that residents document their property in advance, secure loose storm shutters, and create a neighbor-watch plan. Simply having a visible security presence in the neighborhood can be enough to deter many would-be criminals.
In the case of Escambia County, deputies were already positioned in areas with high storm damage, which allowed them to react quickly. The store break-in suspect was caught on the spot, and the stolen vehicle case was resolved before the suspects could leave the area.
The three suspects now face legal proceedings in Escambia County. The man accused in the store break-in remains unidentified to the public, but he is expected to appear in court on the listed charges. Kelly and Carr face potential additional charges as prosecutors review the circumstances of the vehicle theft and the chase.
Hurricane Isaias, which was the ninth named storm of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane near Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina, but its outer bands brought heavy rain, storm surge, and tornado warnings to Florida’s Panhandle. Escambia County declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm, which was a key factor in triggering the enhanced penalties for the alleged burglary.
As residents continue to recover from the storm, lawmakers and safety experts are studying these incidents to better prepare for future disasters. The hope is that by learning from what went right — and wrong — communities can reduce the window of opportunity for criminals in the critical days after the winds die down.
For now, Sheriff Simmons says deputies will maintain a visible patrol presence through the final stages of recovery. While clearing debris and restoring utilities may take weeks, he stressed that public safety remains the department’s primary mission.
This article is based on official reports from the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and public information from the Florida Division of Emergency Management. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
