Two suspected looters, one of whom was dressed as a firefighter, were arrested Sunday by Los Angeles County deputy sheriffs on Pacific Coast Highway in the Pacific Palisades.
It’s unclear when exactly the arrests took place, but a local photographer reportedly spotted the pair riding a scooter and a moped, one of whom was wearing fire boots, jeans, and Cal. He was wearing a yellow fire jacket emblazoned with CDF, the old acronym for fire. Photos from the time of his arrest were shown to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
“I saw them go up on PCH,” Eric Fox told KTLA. “When we pulled up to the checkpoint to report them, officers were already detaining them.”
Two lieutenants from LASD’s Santa Clarita Station Crime Prevention Division who were assisting with the Palisades Fire made the arrest along with CHP and National Guard personnel at a checkpoint along the PCH.
On January 12, 2025, two suspected looters and one person dressed as a firefighter were arrested in Pacific Palisades. (Eric Fox/Fox First On Scene Photo) On January 12, 2025, two suspected looters and one person dressed as a firefighter were arrested in Pacific Palisades. (Eric Fox/Fox First Scene Photo) Two looting suspects and one person dressed as a firefighter were arrested in Pacific Palisades, January 12, 2025. (Eric Fox/Fox First Scene Photo) On January 12, 2025, two suspected looters and one person dressed as a firefighter were arrested in Pacific Palisades. (Eric Fox/Fox’s first on-site photo)
Photos show the two handcuffed sitting on the sidewalk just outside the Getty Villa at 17985 Pacific Coast Highway as deputies search them.
The sheriff’s office posted images of the arrest on social media.
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No information was provided on the identities of the alleged looters or whether they were caught with stolen goods.
About 80 miles away in Irwindale, firefighters were battling a small wildfire near Riverglade Road and Highway 605 when they discovered a suspected arsonist starting the blaze. The suspect, identified as 29-year-old Ruben Montez of Baldwin Park, was taken into police custody.
Santa Monica city officials said 39 people have been arrested in the evacuation zone over the past five days, 10 of whom were found in possession of burglary tools and are considered robbery suspects.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman is scheduled to announce tomorrow charges against several suspects recently arrested for arson and looting.
