[Donger]

JOPLIN, MO. --Local police warn looters will be sorry.
Items have already been stolen from businesses and residences in Joplin.

Action 12's Morgan Schutters reports on the insult added to the tornado's wrath.
Police say looting amongst the wreckage has begun.

People are taking items at will... even breaking into locked businesses.
A break-in at Smith's Family Powersports on East 7th Street happened Sunday night.

Six dirt bikes, tools, and helmets were taken ... the owners guess about 20-thousand dollars worth of damages.
"You need to keep an eye on your businesses, just because it made it through the tornado does not mean it is safe," Owner Shane Smith says.

Smith says he's tried to alert police, but knows their priority right now is searching for victims beneath the rubble.
"A hole in the system --our alarms were working but the phone lines weren't so no one was notified," Smith says.

Smith says the thefts feel like being 'kicked when you're down' --
"I just can't believe after everything that's happened in Joplin that people would do this!" Smith says.

And police say looters are going through devastated neighborhoods ... taking anything spared from the tornado's wrath.
Officials warn looters -- beware!

Police are on the lookout for any trespassing thieves ... a curfew of 9pm is now set for each night. You now have to have a permit to be active in the city -- issuing identification at various checkpoints to get the permit. Permits expire after 48 hours.

"I'd highly advise anyone who has ideas of looting to think twice because i guarantee there are a lot of police and stress is at an all-time high. So i'd be very careful before I'd do anything stupid like that," local Police Chief Carl Francis says.

Smiths Family Powersports is offering a 500 dollar reward ... Call 417-451-FAST if you have any information about the theft.