Law enforcement in Santa Monica has apprehended more than 40 people within evacuation zones over the past week, marking what police call “a significant increase” in arrests for these neighborhoods.
None of the arrested individuals were Santa Monica residents, and all violated local emergency orders, including city and county curfew mandates between January 7 and 12. The curfew runs from sunset to sunrise.
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Among those arrested, ten face burglary charges, including one man who was caught impersonating a firefighter in the Malibu area. Police discovered two suspects carrying concealed handguns, while six others possessed burglary tools. In one notable case, a pair of suspects had opened the Watch Duty app on their phones, apparently using it to track evacuation zones.
The arrests, concentrated in the North of Montana (NOMA) and WILMONT neighborhoods, also included individuals charged with drug possession, driving violations, and parole or probation violations. Several suspects had outstanding warrants.
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“Our dedicated team of officers did a phenomenal job saturating the evacuation areas and tamping down criminal activity,” Santa Monica Police officials stated.
The Sheriff’s office also reported three additional arrests linked to unauthorized drone incidents in the area.