A burglar disguised himself as a firefighter to gain access to decimated mansions that were in the path of the worst fires ever to hit Los Angeles.
He was one of 29 people arrested by authorities who have vowed to prosecute looters to the full extent of the law as the city reels from devastating infernos that continue to destroy everything in their path through Southern California.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna revealed Sunday that a man was arrested in glitzy Malibu — which was particularly ravaged by the largest of the fires — when he was caught breaking into abandoned and burned-out homes along the waterfront.
“While I was in the Malibu area, I saw a gentleman who looked like a firefighter and asked him if he was okay because he was sitting down. I didn’t know we had him in handcuffs,” Luna said.
“We turned him over to the LAPD because he was dressed like a firefighter, and he wasn’t. He just got caught breaking into a house.”
He said the man had pretended to have ties to a particular fire station, but a quick check with the department determined he was lying.
Two fires, the Pacific Palisades fire and the Eaton fire, have been particularly devastating, killing 16 people so far, wiping out at least 12,300 structures, and destroying 40,300 acres of land.
Luna said 25 people were arrested in the area around the Eaton Fire evacuation zone, and another four in the Palisades region.
Some 29 people have been arrested in Los Angeles on charges of looting fire-ravaged homes
The city is reeling from devastating infernos, which continue to destroy everything in their path through Southern California
Authorities have pledged to prosecute anyone caught looting to the full extent of the law
More than 12,000 buildings were destroyed in the fires, which devastated some of LA’s most affluent neighborhoods
car destroyed during the Palisades Fire is located near the Pacific Ocean in Malibu
The Palisades Fire swept through the upscale Pacific Palisades, destroying the homes of A-list celebrities including Miles Teller, Anthony Hopkins and Mel Gibson, before spreading toward Malibu and down toward Santa Monica.
The Eaton Fire impacted more inland communities, including Pasadena. Other fires were also of concern at various stages, including one in the Hollywood Hills and another that entered the Kardashian enclave of Calabasas.
Wealthy residents in the evacuation zones have resorted to hiring private security companies to protect their homes and belongings from looters until they are allowed to return.
Curfews have been imposed that prevent access to areas affected by the Palisades fire from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., Luna said.
“Just stay out of the areas if you are not a first responder or have an emergency there,” he said.
Luna said he understands there are homeowners who would like to return to their properties to see what remains.
‘We are very empathetic and sensitive to those needs, but your safety comes first. Many of these areas still look as if they have been hit by a bomb.”
The Palisades Fire is the largest of the Los Angeles wildfires, covering 23,707 acres, while the Eaton Fire in Pasadena is the deadliest fire, killing 11 and scorching 14,117 acres.
Two fires, the Pacific Palisades fire and the Eaton fire, have been particularly devastating, killing 16 people so far, wiping out at least 12,300 structures and destroying 40,300 acres of land.
) LA County Sheriff Robert Luna talks to Malibu residents evacuated due to fires
With tens of thousands of displaced LA residents having lost everything but the clothes they were wearing, plus a few select personal items, insurance companies will be on the hook for colossal payouts
The iconic Malibu waterfront homes were wiped out by the Palisades fire
Fire trucks drive past a mobile home park that was destroyed by the Palisades Fire
Meanwhile, two people have been charged with arson and arrested on suspicion of trying to cause other infernos in recent days.
The causes of both the Palisades and Eaton fires remain under investigation.
Energy company EdisonInternational is being investigated for a possible link with one of the other forest fires, which is now under control.
Exhausted firefighters have been working tirelessly since Tuesday to tame the infernos – awaiting the return of high winds that could once again push the flames toward some of the city’s most famous landmarks.
The National Weather Service warned that wind gusts up to 75 miles per hour could cause explosive fire growth Sunday night into Wednesday and that areas north of the Point Dume to Glendale line are in particular danger.
“There will be a chance — especially Monday night through Wednesday — of explosive fire growth as the winds pick up again,” Ariel Cohen, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, told the Los Angeles Times.
‘If an evacuation order is issued, you must follow it immediately. Seconds can save your life.”
While it’s too early to accurately calculate the financial toll, losses to date likely make the wildfires the costliest ever in the U.S., leaving devastation far beyond California’s borders.
The National Weather Service warned that wind gusts up to 70 miles per hour could cause explosive fire growth Sunday night into Wednesday, and that areas north of the Point Dume to Glendale line are especially at risk.
The LA sky has turned a hellish red since the fires broke out
With tens of thousands of displaced LA residents having lost everything but the clothes they were wearing, plus a few select personal items, insurance companies will be on the hook for colossal payouts.
It will inevitably lead to a rise in insurance premiums for Americans across the country as companies figure out how best to pay out claims.
With losses exceeding a staggering $135 billion, according to a preliminary estimate from AccuWeather, the aftermath of this inferno will strain federal programs, strain insurance markets and reshape the lives of Americans across the country.