720 ILCS 5/25-4 – Looting by Individuals
This law makes it a crime to take things from places damaged or unprotected during disasters, riots, or other emergencies.
This Illinois law says that if someone takes property from a home, store, or business during an emergency like a fire, riot, or storm–when normal safety is gone–they are committing looting. It also explains the punishment for this crime.
(a) A person commits looting if they knowingly, without permission, go into someone else’s home, business, or building during a time when regular security is missing because of a big event like a hurricane, fire, riot, or similar emergency, and they take or try to take the owner’s property.
(b) Sentence: Looting is a Class 4 felony. The person must do at least 100 hours of community service, and the court will require them to pay back the owner for the stolen or damaged property.
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