Police on Sunday said a looter disguised himself as a fireman while attempting to raid an evacuated Malibu home.
The alleged thief, who is among 28 others arrested on looting-related charges since wildfires began ravaging Southern California, was arrested after police caught him attempting to burglarize a home in the Palisades evacuation zone, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said during a press conference.
“When I was out there in the Malibu area, I saw a gentleman that looked like a firefighter,” the sheriff said. “And I asked him if he was OK because he was sitting down. I didn’t realize we had him in handcuffs. We are turning him over to LAPD because he was dressed like a fireman, and he was not. He had just got caught burglarizing a home. So those are issues that our front line deputies and police officers are dealing with.”
Looters in LA are dressing as firefighters amidst wildfires to burgle homes. Sheriff Luna reported several arrests, including one mistaken for a real firefighter. The public is urged to be vigilant. Need to prosecute to the fullest extent! @PORACalifornia pic.twitter.com/Ifrwne25YI
— Brian Marvel (@BrianMarvel) January 12, 2025
Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Chief Jim McDonald said authorities arrested the suspect and two others after they were caught violating curfew.
“There were three individuals in a vehicle. They were stopped. They were where they weren’t supposed to be,” McDonald said in the same press conference. “One had on a fire jacket and a fire hat. And he was additionally arrested for impersonating a firefighter. We have people who will go to all ends to be able to do what it is they want to do to exploit the victims of this tragedy.”
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L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman promised Monday to “throw the entire book” at looters preying on evacuated Los Angeles homes.
“We’re sending the same unmistakably clear message to them, that if they want to rip off people who have suffered these type of tragedies, we will come after you,” Hochman said. “We will throw the entire book at you. So please do not commit these crimes. Our goal is to deter them in the first place, thus saving a whole lot of victims in the process.”
Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the deployment of an additional 1,000 California National Guard troops to the Los Angeles area Sunday amid growing disorder and looting-related arrests. The number of service members totals approximately 2,500.
“The men and women of the California National Guard have been on the ground since day one – not only fighting fires, but also assisting with public safety efforts in communities devastated by these fires. We thank them for their efforts to keep our communities safe,” the governor wrote in an official statement.
A curfew remains in effect from 6:00 p.m. PST to 6:00 a.m. PST in the Palisades evacuation zone, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
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