Law enforcement officials in Los Angeles have been working to ensure that those caught looting in the wake of the county’s unprecedented fires are held responsible for their crimes.
However, one case has left many shocked, as police say at least one of the dozens of looting suspects arrested over the weekend was in disguise as a firefighter.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna spoke about looting during a press conference on Sunday, noting that one of those arrested was indeed impersonating a firefighter.
“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,” Luna said.
Luna added that in total, 29 people have been arrested for looting, 25 in the area of the Eaton fire and four in the area of the Palisades Fire. As for the fake firefighter, Luna shared that he was handed over to the city’s police department.
“We are turning him over to LAPD because he was dressed like a fireman, and he was not,” he added. “He just got caught burglarizing a home. So those are issues that our front-line deputies and police officers are dealing with.”
Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell seemed unsurprised, saying, “We have people who will go to all ends to do what they do.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office requested an additional 1,000 service members be deployed to the Los Angeles area on top of the 400 who were already deployed.
“The men and women of the California National Guard have been on the ground since day one – not only fighting fires but also assisting with public safety efforts in communities devastated by these fires. We thank them for their efforts to keep our communities safe,” Newsom wrote in a statement.
Luna shared that he hoped the National Guard members would assist with keeping the area safe.
However, he said that for those who did break the law during this emergency, state and local attorneys were “eager” to prosecute.