Deadly looting spreads in Argentina as police continue strike (VIDEO)

At least five people have been killed in a wave of looting that's spread across Argentina on the heels of a police strike.

Hundreds of injuries were reported in the looting of various homes and businesses.

More from GlobalPost: Argentina police arrest 50 in looting attempt

People across the entire South American nation were said to be smashing windows and hauling out anything they could carry, from mattresses to beer to baby carriages.

In rural Tucuman province, a group of six men hauled an entire freezer unit from an ice cream store, loading it onto a donkey cart.

Police have refused to do anything until their demands for higher pay are met, according to the BBC.

Looting has been reported in at least 19 of Argentina's 23 provinces.

In 10 of them, police remained on strike Tuesday, while in another seven, officials said they may have reached a deal.

More from GlobalPost: 1 dead in Argentina looting after police strike

Still, thousands of shops closed early in Buenos Aires closed early for fear that looting would spread to the capital.

On Sunday night, a young man was electrocuted in the city of Concordia when he came in contact with loose cabling in a looted shop.

Another man was killed in the northwestern province of Jujuy, and three more were shot dead in the city of Resistencia in northeastern Chaco province, according to the BBC.

President Cristina Fernandez has been silent on the issue, but her Cabinet chief, Jorge Capitanich, described the crimes as "treason," the Associated Press reported.