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DA: 9 people charged in connection with looting during fires in LA County
Businesses along Lake Avenue destroyed by the Eaton Fire in Altadena.
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Zoe Meyers
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AFP via Getty Images
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Nine people have been charged in connection with looting in the Palisades and Eaton fires, L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced Monday.
Speaking at an afternoon news conference, Hochman called the incidents "appalling" and "a direct attack on our community during a time of unprecedented loss and vulnerability.”
He did not indicate that looting or other criminal activity related to the fires was widespread, but warned that anyone caught engaging in such activity would face charges.
“Let me be clear, If you exploit this tragedy to prey on victims of these deadly fires, we will find you and we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law,” he said.
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The charges
Two people are charged with first degree burglary and looting of a property in the Mandeville Canyon area near The Getty Center late Jan. 8 or early Jan. 9, according to the district attorney. They're accused of stealing property exceeding $200,000.
A third person is accused of evading police while they were investigating the burglary. That person has since been charged with one count of felony hit-and-run, Hochman said.
Two other people are accused of entering two houses in Altadena on Jan. 8, Hochman said, and four people are charged with burglarizing a different house in Altadena that same day.
The latter group is accused of stealing an Emmy award statue that belonged to a person who lived there.
As of Monday afternoon, most of the people facing those charges had been arraigned in Superior Court.
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Hochman also announced that one person has been charged with felony arson for allegedly trying to light a large downed tree on fire at Pioneer Park in Azusa. The district attorney said the incident took place on Jan. 10 but was not connected with the Eaton or Palisades Fires.
Other crimes during the fires
Speaking at the same news conference, L.A. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said there were multiple reports of people committing crimes to “take advantage” in evacuation areas. She said there had been reports of a potential burglar in Pacific Palisades who was impersonating a firefighter by wearing a fire jacket and helmet.
LAPD officials said someone had been arrested but prosecutors did not announce any charges in connection with the incident.
Last week, a water-dropping Super Scooper aircraft sent from Canada to battle fires in the L.A. area was grounded after colliding with a civilian drone on Thursday, officials said.
Akil Davis, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, said at the Monday news conference that investigators had found pieces of the drone. Davis said members of law enforcement are seeing dozens of drone incursions a day.
He warned people not to fly drones over the fire areas.
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Businesses warned against price gouging
Horvath said law enforcement would work to hold businesses accountable for illegal price gouging as well. She encouraged Angelenos who see price gouging to call the L.A. County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs at (800) 593-8222 or report online at stoppricegouging.dcba.lacounty.gov.
Do you have a question about the wildfires or fire recovery?
Check out LAist.com/FireFAQs to see if your question has already been answered. If not, submit your questions here, and we’ll do our best to get you an answer.
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