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St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff Mike Tregre issued a stern and solemn warning for criminals thinking of taking advantage of the parish after Hurricane Ida plowed through Sunday and plunged the area into the dark.

“To the criminal element out there,” Tregre said Tuesday morning. “Curfew, dusk till dawn. When it gets dark, do not be on the streets of St. John Parish.

“There is nothing out here for you to do,” he said.

“For the criminal element, if you decide to come to St. John Parish, my jail is empty, and you’re going to be in there by yourself. We’re not having it.”

Tregre said criminals who do venture into the parish are also putting their own lives at risk.

“Let me say this, 911 connections are very scarce, very hard to come by,” the sheriff said. “Most of the residents can’t call us, which means they’re probably going to take matters into their own hands. You may be the one needing 911.”