Man Dressed As Firefighter Caught Robbing Home Amid Los Angeles Wildfire, Arrested

Amidst wildfires in Los Angeles, a man posing as a firefighter was arrested in Malibu for attempting to burglarise evacuated residents.

By : ABP News Bureau | Updated at : 13 Jan 2025 11:11 AM (IST)

A man was arrested for trying to burglarise evacuated homes in Malibu amid wildfire in Los Angeles.
Source : X

A man disguised as a firefighter was arrested on Saturday for attempting to burglarise evacuated residents in Malibu affected by the wildfire in Los Angeles, said the LA County Sheriff's Department.

The sheriff's department chief Robert Luna was in the Malibu area when he saw a "gentleman that looked like a firefighter." 

"I asked him if he was okay because he was sitting down. I didn’t realize we had him in handcuffs,” Luna said during a press conference. “We were turning them over to LAPD because he was dressed like a fireman, and he was not. He just got caught burglarizing a home," he added, reported KTLA. 

On Saturday, one man was arrested in the Palisades area for curfew violation, said the Los Angeles Sheriff's County chief. The person who was arrested resisted arrest. 

In Eaton, six people were arrested, said the authorities. Three of the six people were arrested for curfew violations and the other were for concealed firearm and narcotics-related charges. 

ALSO READ: Death Toll In Massive Los Angeles Fire Rises To 24, Dangerous Winds May Whip The Blazes Up

The ravaging wildfire on the western coast has claimed the lives of 24 people so far while at least 16 remain missing, according to BBC. Weather forecasts have warned fierce winds, which fuelled the infernos around Los Angeles, are expected to pick up again this week while fire crews on the ground struggle to progress in controlling three wildfires. 

Sixteen of the dead were found in the Eaton fire zone while right were found in the Palisades area. 

Ahead of the surge in wind speed, the firefighters made some progress in stopping the spread of the deadly Palisades and Eaton fires, which are burning on opposite ends of the city. Crews from eight other states, as well as Canada and Mexico, have joined forces with the local firefighters to control the situation. 

The largest fire is in the Palisades which has now gutted over 23,000 acres of land and has been 13 per cent contained. The second biggest fire Eaton has burnt through more than 14,000 acres and is 27% contained.

Published at : 13 Jan 2025 11:11 AM (IST)
Tags :
Los Angeles Burglary US News LA Wildfire Widlfire

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