At least 73 people have been arrested amid the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles, with many of the arrests being for burglary and looting.
Criminals are taking advantage of the chaos caused by the California government’s failure to prevent or extinguish the ongoing wildfires, with looters breaking into numerous homes and stealing the valuables of wildfire victims.
Speaking to local news station KTLA, Santa Monica Police Department Lt. Erika Aklufi confirmed that his department had arrested a total of 39 people between January 7, the day the wildfires began, and January 12. Ten of those arrests were for burglary.
According to The Post Millennial, “Three were arrested for one incident on 18th street, four were arrested in the 200 block of Euclid Street, and two more were arrested at 10th Street and Carlyle Avenue. Six of the 10 arrested were in possession of burglary tools. The other arrests were made for curfew violations, driving violations, drug possession, outstanding warrants, and parole and probation violations.”
Of course, not a single one of the arrestees was a resident of Santa Monica, meaning that they were all likely taking advantage of the chaos.
In an email to KTLA, Akulfi explained: “This is a significant increase in the normal number of arrests we would have in the neighborhoods. Considering the circumstances, our officers did an amazing job saturating the evacuation areas and tamping down criminal activity.”
Meanwhile, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna announced on Monday that his department had arrested 34 people thus far — with 30 of those arrests being made near the Eaton fire and four near the Pacific Palisades fire. He further explained that four people had just been arrested the previous night, two of whom were apprehended for curfew violations and another two for a “drone incident.”
Luna warned: “if you do not have business in the evacuation areas, do not go there. Please. You’re infringing upon the work that our first responders need to attend to.”
The sheriff also revealed during a Sunday press conference that a man had been arrested in the Malibu area impersonating a firefighter by wearing a firefighting uniform, with authorities suspecting that he was attempting to burglarize the neighborhood.
What should the punishment be for scumbags who dress up as firefighters to loot homes while the occupants are evacuated because of wildfires?? pic.twitter.com/vziistS8HQ
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) January 13, 2025
“I saw a gentleman who looked like a firefighter, and I asked if he was okay because he was sitting down, and I didn’t realize we had him in handcuffs. We were turning him over to the LAPD because he was dressed like a fireman and was not. He just got caught burglarizing a home,” Luna said.
LA County Sheriff Robert Luna says a total of 34 arrests have now been made – 30 in the Eaton fire area and four in the Palisades.
These include drone incidents, curfew violations, and people arrested with guns.
Wildfires latest: https://t.co/S4TPykMnWN
📺 Sky 501 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/aMYy2Xf7jU
— Sky News (@SkyNews) January 13, 2025