DA, lawmakers announce effort to stop looting during disasters
Assemblywoman Blanca Pacheco speaks at a news conference Monday at the Hall of Justice in Los Angeles. (Courtesy photo)
State lawmakers and Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman Monday announced proposed legislation aimed at stopping looters and others who would take advantage of property owners in fire zones.
The bill, AB 469, has bipartisan support in Sacramento and would make it a felony that could send unscrupulous scammers to longer prison terms.
"We sent a message from the very beginning to the would-be looters, the arsonists, the people who would be impersonating firefighters, the price- gougers and the financial scammers," said Hochman, who was joined by Sheriff Robert Luna at a morning news conference at the Hall of Justice. "The question was not if, but when they would be arrested, then prosecuted, then punished to the maximum extent of the law, but when we turned to the law of looting, it turns out when we pulled open the penal code, we saw the law of looting was actually underwhelming."
The bill would make looting a felony instead of a misdemeanor and increase possible prison sentences to four years instead of one, and comes as law enforcement agencies report elaborate attempts to take advantage of victims in the Palisade and Eaton fire disaster zones.
The devastating January wildfires led to more than two dozen arrests of people accused of looting in fire zones, with some allegedly impersonating firefighters to avoid law enforcement and gain access to evacuated properties.
"We cannot and we will not tolerate behavior that endangers the public or puts our brave first responders at risk," said Assemblyman John Harabedian, D-Pasadena, one of those who introduced the legislation. "Together we are working across party lines and across levels of government."
Fleeing residents need to know what they left behind while heeding evacuation orders won't be taken by crooks, said Assemblywoman Blanca Pacheco, D-Downey, whose brother is an LA County firefighter who responded to the Eaton Fire.
"Our bill makes impersonation of emergency personnel during a disaster or in an evacuation zone an enhanced felony," Pacheco said, citing "the severe risks" of undermining trust in legitimate responders.
"When people see a firefighter or other first responder during an emergency they need to know with absolute certainty that the uniform and equipment is being used by someone who is sworn to protect them," Pacheco said.
Luna said he understands residents' fears for what they leave behind after first responders knock on the door and tell them to flee with only essentials.
"There are individuals who, unfortunately, come here to take advantage of folks, whether it's through burglary, looting, other theft crimes, scams, whatever you have," the sheriff said. "But I think today is a great day (and) what I'm urging is every legislator who wasn't involved in this, all the way up to the governor, that you support this legislation because in essence you are supporting our community."