Law enforcement officials had strict warnings at a news conference on Friday morning, Jan. 10.
“I’m telling you right now,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna, “I know people talk about ‘no bail’ (policies), but if somebody’s caught doing this, they’re going to be arrested and booked. We’re not screwing around with this. We don’t want anyone taking advantage of our residents who have already been victimized.”
Those strong words came as thousands of Los Angeles County residents have dealt with evacuations and losing their homes because of several raging wildfires, a tragedy that has apparently been compounded by looting. More than 20 people have been arrested for apparently looting in fire zones, Luna said, calling it “absolutely unacceptable.”
In response, Curfews in evacuated areas began overnight from Thursday into Friday and will remain in place for the time being. California National Guard troops also began arriving on Friday and more will join those forces, Luna said.
The curfew will be in effect from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. and anyone arrested for a curfew violation could face a misdemeanor charge carrying a fine of up to $1,000 and possible jail time, Luna said.
“You cannot be in these affected areas,” Luna said in a Friday morning briefing. “If you are, you are subject to arrest. That is important. We’re not doing this to inconvenience anybody. We’re doing this to protect the structures, houses, people have left because we ordered them to leave.”
Only disaster workers will be permitted in those areas. Media with credentials also are being admitted, he said.
Some 500 sheriff’s department personnel have been deployed in the fire areas and were patrolling for looters, as well as engaging in traffic control and other enforcement duties, Lina said.
National Guard members were deployed overnight in the Eaton fire area. Some additional members arriving in the next 12-24 hours will be deployed to the Palisades fire area, and some could also be deployed to cities such as Santa Monica, Azusa and Arcadia. Those cities have requested the additional security, Luna said, and the list of others is expected to grow.
The guard members, the governor’s office said, “will be stationed at traffic control points to ensure the safety of the surrounding community. In addition, their support helps build capacity of local law enforcement to support their respective areas.”
District Attorney Nathan Hochman also issued strict warnings at Friday’s news conference.
“Looting is a despicable crime,” he said. “For the people who have already been arrested, this is not going to end well.”
Law enforcement, he said, “will make sure you are arrested and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
The act of “taking advantage of people who already have suffered enormous losses,” he added, will result in violators being “maximally punished.”
Firefighters and police were a visible presence Friday morning at neighborhoods within the Palisades Fire zone. A few people used bikes to get back to their homes following the curfew. Homeowners in cars were being escorted by police.
Firefighters also continued to arrive to tend to houses along West Sunset Boulevard where few homes have burned to the ground but others appear to be untouched.
Smoke could be seen coming from a house along Bay Club Drive while other houses had water running over the sides.
SCNG Staff Writer Christina Merino and City News Service contributed to this report.