Two Californians were arrested while trying to loot evacuated homes during a wildfire in Los Angeles
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Two Californians were arrested while trying to loot evacuated homes during a wildfire in Los Angeles

Posted on by Amelia Pressman

Two people have been arrested on suspicion of looting in the chaos caused by wildfires in Southern California.

The fires continue to ravage much of Los Angeles County, including several luxury properties occupied by A-list celebrities. Two people have already died and authorities expect the number of victims to rise.

The fires have forced thousands to evacuate and authorities are now forced to focus some of their efforts on preventing looting in affected areas.

An eyewitness said he saw stopped cars full of people reaching for items in the densely populated metropolis.

Beach houses are destroyed by the Palisades Fire in Malibu, California, on Wednesday, January 8, 2025. AP
A helicopter performs a water drop as smoke and flames rise from the Sunset Fire in the hills overlooking the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California, USA, January 8, 2025. REUTERS

In a news conference Wednesday, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna confirmed the arrests and expressed disappointment that the crime must be addressed in the midst of a devastating natural disaster.

“It’s always sad when I have to say this, but it’s part of our responsibility to make sure that no one loots or steals from our residents or our community members who are already affected,” Luna said.

Stay up to date with NYP’s coverage of the horrific fires in the LA area

“And I regret to report that we arrested two people this morning for looting.

“So if you’re thinking about coming to one of these areas to steal from our residents, I’ll tell you something: you’ll get caught, you’ll get arrested and you’ll get prosecuted when you get arrested.”

Dramatic drone footage shows aerial firefighters quickly responded to the fast-moving, wind-driving Sunset Fire in the Hollywood Hills area of ​​Los Angeles on January 8. Topher Maslanka on Storyful

The fires cover 3,000 acres in Palisades, 2,000 acres in Eaton and about 500 acres in Hurst.

They are still completely uncontrolled and authorities are struggling to gain ground as water and supplies dwindle.

By Wednesday morning, more than 80,000 people in the region had to be evacuated and countless properties were at great risk of destruction.

According to the Los Angeles County Fire Department, over 1,000 structures have already been destroyed and more than 10,300 homes are threatened by the ongoing fires.

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