The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office has arrested 34 people for criminal activity related to the devastating fires ravaging the area, according to authorities.
As Blaze News previously reported Monday, one person has been arrested for suspicion of arson.
‘We have people who will go to all ends to be able to do what it is they want to do to exploit the victims of this tragedy.’
During a Monday press conference, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna highlighted that there were two “drone incidents” that led to three arrests.
On Friday, firefighting aircraft attempting to battle the Palisades fire were forced to leave the area because of unauthorized drones in the air.
Citing California officials, NewsNation reported that there have been at least 40 incidents in which unauthorized drones forced firefighting aircraft to pause operations.
On Thursday, a drone collided with a CL-415 “Super Scooper” — a firefighting aircraft capable of scooping 1,600 gallons of water to drop on fires.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department said in a statement that a civilian drone struck the Super Scooper Quebec 1 on loan from Canada. The collision reportedly left a hole in one of the wings, but the extent of the damage wasn’t known until the plane landed.
Cal Fire spokesperson Chris Thomas told the Los Angeles Times, “This is not just harmless fun. This is incredibly dangerous. Seriously, what if that plane had gone down? It could have taken out a row of homes. It could have taken out a school.”
The damaged Super Scooper reportedly has been repaired and could be back up in the air as soon as Tuesday following a Federal Aviation Administration inspection.
The FAA warned, “It’s a federal crime, punishable by up to 12 months in prison, to interfere with firefighting efforts on public lands. Additionally, the FAA can impose a civil penalty of up to $75,000 against any drone pilot who interferes with wildfire suppression, law enforcement, or emergency response operations when temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) are in place. The FAA treats these violations seriously and immediately considers swift enforcement action for these offenses. The FAA has not authorized anyone unaffiliated with the Los Angeles firefighting operations to fly drones in the TFRs.”
The FAA and FBI are investigating the drone strike.
At least 20 people have reportedly been arrested for looting the fire-ravaged areas of South California.
One alleged burglar disguised himself as a firefighter to rob a home during the fires.
Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell stated, “There were three individuals in a vehicle. They were stopped. They were where they weren’t supposed to be. One had on a fire jacket and a fire hat. And he was additionally arrested for impersonating a firefighter. We have people who will go to all ends to be able to do what it is they want to do to exploit the victims of this tragedy.”
Sheriff Luna added, “When I was out there in the Malibu area, I saw a gentleman that looked like a firefighter. And I asked him if he was okay because he was sitting down. I didn’t realize we had him in handcuffs. We are turning him over to LAPD because he was dressed like a fireman, and he was not. He just got caught burglarizing a home. So those are issues that our front-line deputies and police officers are dealing with.”
Police said a handful of people were arrested for violating the government-imposed curfew that runs from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Those who violate the curfew could be charged with a misdemeanor and hit with a fine of up to $1,000.
Sheriff Luna also said his department is communicating with local, state, and federal agencies to crack down on “white-collar” crimes in relation to the fires.
“They are all eager to prosecute anybody who is taking advantage of our residents during this very difficult time, whether it is a burglary or it is some kind of white collar crime in a scam or anything that you may be thinking about doing,” Luna stated.
Police said at least six people reported missing in the city of Los Angeles.
The County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner stated that 24 people have died in the Palisades and Eaton fires.
Los Angeles Police Department Assistant Chief Dominic Choi said 266 officers have been assigned to the Palisades fire. In addition, 200 National Guard members are helping to secure the Los Angeles area.
According to the latest data from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the current wildfires have scorched over 40,000 acres and destroyed or damaged more than 12,300 structures.
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California fires, California wildfires, Wildfires, Looting, Fires, Palisades fire, Eaton fire, Los angeles crime, California crime, California, Drones, Crime, Los angeles
