Burglar Dressed As Firefighter Among 29 Arrested in California

A man disguised as a firefighter was arrested in Malibu while burglarizing a home during the ongoing wildfires, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna.

Sheriff Luna said at a press conference Sunday that the suspect was among 29 people arrested amid the fires, with many detained for looting.

Newsweek has contacted the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department via an online form and the Los Angeles Police Department via email for comment.

Why It Matters

The arrests come as devastating wildfires continue to ravage Southern California, exacerbated by strong Santa Ana winds and low humidity.

The fires have killed 24 people with an additional 16 people reported missing. More than 12,300 structures have been destroyed, according to CAL FIRE. Around 150,000 people are under evacuation orders which may leave their homes vulnerable to looters during the emergency.

What To Know

Sheriff Luna stated that 25 arrests were made in the Eaton Fire area and four in the Palisades Fire region. One suspect dressed as a firefighter was apprehended while attempting to rob a home in Malibu, Luna said.

“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,” Luna told the reporters.

“We are turning him over to LAPD because he was dressed like a fireman, and he was not. He just got caught burglarising a home. So those are issues that our front line deputies and police officers are dealing with.”

After tens of thousands were evacuated from the affluent neighborhoods of Pacific Pallisades and Brentwood last Tuesday, Luna said at least two people were arrested for looting within a day of the evacuation.

In response to the looting, authorities have imposed a daily curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. in Los Angeles and surrounding areas, including Malibu and Santa Monica. Violators of the curfew face misdemeanor charges and fines up to $1,000.

Luna also announced the deployment of 400 National Guard troops to aid in securing evacuation zones and deterring further looting, with more reinforcements expected.

What People Are Saying

Charlie Kirk, founder and CEO of the conservative group Turning Point USA, wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “Unbelievable. Thieves are dressing up as fire fighters to burglarize abandoned homes. Nearly 30 have been arrested so far. Throw the book at these despicable humans. Name and shame them. There must be ZERO tolerance. Hard to imagine a punishment too harsh.”

Gavin Newsom, California Governor, replying to Kirk on X: “Completely agree. These are criminals of the worst kind — preying on people at their most vulnerable. They will be prosecuted.”

What Happens Next

Critical fire weather conditions are forecast to persist through midweek, with the National Weather Service predicting a potential respite by Thursday or Friday. Authorities said they will continue to enforce curfews and bolster security measures to protect evacuated areas from looters.