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LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Twenty people have been arrested in the various Los Angeles-area fire zones for allegedly looting in the ravaged areas, authorities said Thursday as they vowed to crack down on any criminal activity tied to the disaster and step up enforcement with a curfew and deployment of the California National Guard.
"This is simply unacceptable," Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger said of the looting. "... I promise you, you will be held accountable. Shame on those who are preying on our residents at this time of crisis."
Sheriff Robert Luna said roughly 400 department personnel have been deployed in the fire areas and were patrolling for looters. He said it is a misdemeanor crime for anyone to be in an evacuation area without authorization, and committing a crime in such an area can be a felony. Luna said he has instructed deputies to aggressively enforce those restrictions and arrest people found in the burn areas.
"I'm going to make this crystal clear to everybody out there," Luna said Thursday morning. "Over last night and this morning, we are up to 20 individuals who chose to go into our areas and deprive these poor people who have been through so much of their property. Absolutely unacceptable.
"... If you are in one of these areas and you do not belong there, you are going to be subject to arrest," Luna said. "I hope that is as clear as I can make it."
District Attorney Nathan Hochman said "these criminals need to hear ... an unmistakably clear message that if you want to ahead and loot, if you want to commit burglary, if you want to commit grand theft ... you will be arrested, you will be prosecuted and you will be punished to the full extent of the law."
"These acts are despicable," Hochman said.
Late Thursday afternoon, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that he had approved the county's request for deployment of the California National Guard.
According to the governor's office, the Guard members "will be stationed at traffic control points to ensure the safety of the surrounding community. In addition, their support helps build capacity of local law enforcement to support their respective areas."
Luna said the National Guard members will initially be deployed primarily around the Palisades and Eaton fire burn areas. He said some area cities, including Santa Monica and Pasadena, have also asked for assistance from Guard members, so the deployment plans could be changed in the coming days.
Luna also said his department and county attorneys were working Thursday night on paperwork to implement a formal curfew in areas under evacuation orders or warnings in the fire areas to help crack down on trespassers and looters.
The curfew would be in effect from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Luna said he hoped to have it in place Thursday night, but it might not occur until Friday night.