At least 20 people have been arrested for looting homes damaged or destroyed by the devastating wildfires ripping through Los Angeles – prompting officials to issue stern warnings that all offenders will be held accountable.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said the perpetrators who targeted vulnerable communities impacted by the out-of-control blazes were arrested Wednesday and Thursday morning.
LA is burning, and looters are taking advantage. REUTERS“We are up to 20 individuals who chose to go into our areas and deprive these poor people, who have been through so much, of their property,” Luna told reporters at a news conference Thursday morning. “Absolutely unacceptable.”
He said he’s directed his deputies to begin enforcing laws that keep people out of areas that are under evacuation orders.
“If you are in one of these areas and you do not belong there, you will be subject to arrest,” Luna said.
Luna added that he anticipates more criminals will be arrested for looting.
“Our first choice isn’t to do enforcement, it’s not to make arrests. It’s to help people, but if people choose to commit crimes, they’re going to be held accountable. We’re not going to tolerate that kind of activity,” he said.
Some 130,000 Californians have been under evacuation orders from the multiple major fires, which include the Palisades Fire west of Los Angeles, the Eaton Fire north of Pasadena and the Sunset Fire in the Hollywood Hills. Those failing to evacuate face misdemeanor charges, Luna said.
Stay up to date with the NYP’s coverage of the terrifying LA-area fires
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- Trump anticipates rising death toll in LA wildfires: ‘We’re gonna find many bodies and many more, many more dead’
- Deadly Palisades Fire set ‘maliciously’ by Florida firebug Jonathan Rinderknecht, feds say
The three fires still burning in LA as of Tuesday — Hurst, Palisades and Eaton — and the acreage they have burned. New York PostWildfires rippling through the ritzy Pacific Palisades neighborhood have also forced many Hollywood stars to evacuate their homes.
Newly-elected Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said lawbreakers who take advantage of those suffering will be arrested and prosecuted to the “fullest extent of the law.”
“If you do commit these crimes, do not expect anything else than maximal punishment,” Hochman warned.
Fires sparked Tuesday morning, and days later have ravaged nearly 30,000 acres (47 square miles — double the size of Manhattan) in Los Angeles County, causing mass destruction and evacuations.
The largest blaze, the Palisades Fire, has burned more than 17,000 acres alongside the coast and destroyed thousands of homes and structures in its path. The fire remains uncontained as terrifying Santa Ana winds continue to fuel the flames, officials said.
“The Palisades Fire is one of the most destructive natural disasters in the history of Los Angeles,” Los Angeles City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said.
The 10,000-acre Eaton Fire, which is still burning everything in its path on the eastern edge of the Los Angeles basin, has been “significantly stopped,” Crowley added.
The Sunset Fire, which ignited near Tinseltown’s iconic Hollywood sign late Wednesday night, has been fully contained.
The cause of the five fires, three of which were completely un-contained, remain unknown and are under investigation.
At least five people are dead, with the death toll expected to climb, officials said.
