California lawmakers to crackdown on wildfire crooks
LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Calif. (CBS, KYMA/KECY) - Crimes committed after the fires are spawning new efforts to crack down on crooks taking advantage in the aftermath of disasters.
The DAs from LA County and Ventura County, as well as the LA County Sheriff County Board Supervisor Katherine Varger and a handful of state assembly members came together to create AB 4469.
They say it will enhance protections for people during emergencies like the LA wildfires in ways that the current law just lacks.
Several arrests announced so far of suspected looters in the fire zones in Altadena and Palisades.
The LA County DA's Office released security video of an incident where two people were caught on camera breaking into a property. In another instance, the Santa Clarita Sheriff's Station posted a photo of a man suspected of posing as a firefighter to get into the evacuated area.
LA County DA Nathan Hochman and others in law enforcement vowed to prosecute looters and scammers to the full extent of the law, but they say they discovered under current law only a misdemeanor crime would be charged with a maximum of a one-year jail sentence if convicted.
Now, they say the punishment will be more severe and include specific protections for damaged properties and vehicles left unlocked with emergency evacuation and disaster recovery zones.
"Together we are working across party lines and across levels of government to assist those who have been impacted by the wildfires and to support impacted communities through the recovery and rebuilding process. Together we will protect public safety and together we will rebuild these amazing communities."
Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino), Assemblymember
"What it does is it strengthens the laws of looting. So now it's a felony. Now you can go to state prison if you engage in these acts of looting during a state of emergency. It strengthened the laws it strengthens the laws dealing with impersonating a firefighter, a police officer, a national guardsman during this state of emergency."
Nathan Hochman, Los Angeles District Attorney
If AB 469 is passed, then it would make impersonating a cop, a firefighter, or a National Guardsman an enhanced felony.
It's also worth noting that a lot of the people involved in creating this new bill were themselves evacuated during the LA wildfires. They say they realize just how severe it is to re-victimize a lot of the people impacted here.
