Altadena residents, looking to rebuild after the devastating Eaton Fire, say they still watch opportunistic burglars loot homes and communities affected by the fire.
There is no collecty
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said Altadena Station is paying attention to an increase in crime in the area. Arrests have increased by 250% since the flames began, and many of them are linked to theft.
In his disappointment, LASD has a simple message for looters. Your agent is looking at you.
During a recent robber stabbing wound, sheriff’s deputies found copper wire, catalytic converters and even homemade explosives on the property of the burglars.
“We arrested 15 individuals — eight felony, seven misdemeanors for theft within and around the area,” Lasd Ethan Marquez said.
According to Marquez, lawmakers have been condensing the city of Altadena since the fire. On patrol, they met two people on Monday trying to ingest copper and wires from the Edison line in Southern California.
“I just happened to have met two people and tried to pretend they were workers in the area. When they stopped and spoke to them, it was very clear that they were not workers and were able to bring about arrests,” Marquez said.
Interli adds that the deputies saw thieves fleeing as Army engineers and other official workers wearing PPE gear and other official clothing.
“The rebuilding takes years and the Sheriff’s Department and Altadena Station are committed to the community,” Marquez said. “And we will continue to bring in as much additional resources as possible to ensure that theft and all crimes are reduced.”
LASD has a home check program, allowing residents to request representatives to patrol their homes. To request a home check in Altadena, send a message to altadenahomecheck@lasd.org.
Source link
