It has been a slow, painstaking process for the residents of Altadena as they continue to rebuild their lives from the rubble, debris and damage caused by the Eaton wildfires — but an alarming increase in looting has the community right back on edge and afraid of what’s to come.
On Wednesday, April 23, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department shared a highly disturbing update that crime in Altadena has risen to shocking levels in the aftermath of the Eaton fire — with authorities confirming that arrests in the community are up a whopping 250%, the bulk of which are thefts.
However, thieves are not just breaking into homes in Altadena, the criminals have also set their sights on stealing the copper wire from dormant power lines to turn a profit.
Lt. Ethan Marquez of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department shared the recent statistics of crime in the area. “We arrested 15 individuals – eight felonies, seven misdemeanors for theft in and around the area,” he said.
“Deputies just happened to come across a couple of people, tried to pretend that they were workers in the area and when they stopped and talked to them, it was very obvious that they were not workers and they were able to effect an arrest,” Marquez added.
He also noted that the looters have gone a step further in their theft pursuits by disguising themselves as officials sent to restore and rebuild the area.
Authorities said they have witnessed thieves dressed in PPE gear and other official-related clothing to impersonate Army Corps engineers and other fire-related workers.
In response to the rising crime and in an effort to quell the fear, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said it has established a home-check program where residents can request deputies to patrol their homes and surrounding homes in Altadena.
Despite the dangers looters pose to residents, Lt. Marquez said that the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is committed to ensuring that those residing in the Altadena community are safe and protected.
“The rebuild is going to take several years and the sheriff’s department and Altadena station is committed to the community,” Marquez said. “And we’re going to keep bringing additional resources in as long as we can to make sure that the theft and all the crime is reduced.”
Given all that the Altadena community has endured within the last few months and their long and laborious journey to rebuilding ahead, hopefully local authorities can significantly curb the crime and provide safety for community that has already suffered so much.
SEE ALSO:
Altadena Residents Fear How Wildfires Will Impact Their Health
Post Eaton Fire, Altadena Boys Shifts Focus To Youth Mentorship
Wildfires Left Lasting Damage, But For Altadena Residents Looters Pose A New Threat
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