Mississippi River Flooding 2011: Lawbreakers Called Out

Shelby County Sherrif Bill Oldham said on Monday that law enforcement is keeping close watch and will arrest anyone breaking laws amid a difficult time in Memphis, Tennessee as it copes with a flood of historic proportions along the Mississippi river.

On Sunday deputies caught a suspect breaking into a home that had been evacuated in the Northhaven area, just east of the Mississippi river, according to Fox 13.

Detectives arriving at the 2500 block of Cedar Bluff two minutes after an alarm call caught 21-year old Allen Johnson Jr. climbing out of a back window of a home after removing an electric meter from the outside and cutting out a rear window to enter.

This type of criminal behavior will not be tolerated especially during such a difficult time for so many residents, Oldham said. We will be keeping a very close eye on homes and neighborhoods throughout the county and will arrest anyone we catch breaking the law without exception.

Johnson was charged with one count of Aggravated Burglary, according to the report. He is being held in Shelby County jail pending a $25,000 bond.

The flood has affected thousands of people in eight states along the Midwest and Southern States.

I'm worried, but what can I do? It's an act of God, Diane Burns, 55, of Memphis told the Commercial Appeal on Saturday. She had been given an evacuation notice and was living at a Shelby county shelter assistance tent.

She was among hundreds of others in the county who were forced from their home as a result of the coming floods. More than 1,100 notices to homes, apartments and mobile homes were distributed.

The Mississippi River is expected to produce record flooding through parts of Tennessee Mississippi, and Louisiana, the National Weather service reported on Monday.

Historic flood levels have been set at many locations, and more records are anticipated as the crest continues to move south. The flood crest is forecast to move slowly downstream towards New Orleans during the next thee weeks, the service said.