Tipsheet

Meet the Palisades Looting Suspects

They're the usual suspects.

Since the California wildfires erupted on January 7, the Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) has been stopping hundreds of individuals lingering in the Palisades Evacuation Zone, leading to a slew of arrests. To date, they've nabbed more than 40 thugs attempting to exploit the crisis, authorities announced in a press release Monday morning.

Ten were arrested for burglary, six were found in possession of "burglary tools," one had an app open that tracks evacuation areas, and two had concealed handguns. The rest were taken into custody for a range of other offenses, including drug possession, outstanding warrants, and parole/probation violations. None of the suspects are from Santa Monica, police said, meaning all of them had traveled to the disaster area as the fires forced survivors to flee their homes.

SMPD highlighted a handful of incidents involving some of these apprehensions.

At approximately 10:00 p.m. on January 11, a witness reported seeing a suspect combing through cabinets in the common area and garage of an apartment building on San Vicente Boulevard. Officers tracked down the perp, later identified as Joshua Kaliel Love, to an alleyway where he allegedly fled the scene upon being spotted. Love was eventually detained without incident. Police reportedly found a gold-colored window punch, known as a common burglary tool, in Love's possession as well as a blue mechanic glove and a ski mask. One of the officers recognized Love from an earlier January 10 encounter when he was advised about the curfew and evacuation orders. Love was arrested at that time for possession of methamphetamine and let go.

Mugshot of Joshua Kaliel Love

On the night of January 11, officers performed a period check of a city block inside the evacuation zone. While parked at an intersection, officers observed a sedan approaching a stop sign at 9th Street and San Vicente Boulevard. The car had a crudely constructed plate, a crumbled white piece of paper that appeared to be handwritten with a black marker, in violation of California vehicle code when it comes to counterfeit license plates. Adrian Moreno Hernandez, Moises Becerra Garcia, and Carmen Alicia Lopez were allegedly in possession of narcotics, methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and burglary tools. Officers also located a hand saw, bolt cutters, and pry tools scattered about in the vehicle. The driver, Moreno Hernandez, was not licensed. Becerra Garcia, meanwhile, allegedly furnished false ID.

Mugshots of Adrian Moreno Hernandez (left), Moises Becerra Garcia (center), and Carmen Alicia Lopez (right)

During the day on January 9, officers conducted a traffic stop when a white van failed to stop at an intersection in one of the evacuation areas. Both of the suspects—Miguel Angel Dorantes, the driver, and Dominic Pacheco Magana, his passenger—failed to provide proper identification in an apparent attempt to conceal their identities. The vehicle was missing a front license plate and displayed stolen registration stickers. Pacheco Magana was allegedly monitoring Watch Duty, a mobile app showing maps of active fires and evacuation zones. Law enforcement found a black ski mask in between car seats, a pair of black Nike nylon gloves in the driver's side of the door, and three large-sized Amazon freight tote bags in the cargo hold. Officers then arrested the duo on suspicion of them intending to commit residential burglaries.

Mugshots of Miguel Angel Dorantes (left) and Dominic Pacheco Magana (right)

At 4:20 a.m. on the morning of January 10, officers performed a traffic stop of a vehicle out on the road during Santa Monica's curfew order. The car had "darkly tinted" windows and license plates that did not belong to the vehicle. Officers also found multiple key fobs, a key fob programmer, a window breaker, a small saw, and gloves inside the car. Markhi Toles, Khamari Toles, Joshua Charles, and Fernando Garcia Jr. were all arrested for conspiracy to commit a felony and vehicle theft as the felony they were attempting to commit. Additionally, the driver, Garcia, was placed under arrest for a fake/fraudulent license plate and misappropriation of lost property.

Mugshots of Markhi Toles (far left), Joshua Charles (second from the left), Fernando Garcia Jr. (second from the right), and Khamari Toles (far right)

Around 1:00 a.m. on January 10, SMPD officers assisted a UCLA police sergeant with a traffic stop. The driver and sole occupant of the car, Christensen Alexander Weithorn, was listed as the owner of a firearm. Responding officers retrieved his handgun and ammunition, which were concealed inside a black backpack in violation of California's penal code pertaining to carrying a concealed firearm within a vehicle, from the rear passenger seat.

Mugshot of Christensen Alexander Weithorn

Overnight on January 11, at about 11:00 p.m., SMPD officers stopped a pedestrian walking along Ocean Avenue and San Vicente Boulevard in violation of the curfew. Phillip Michael Briones allegedly possessed narcotics and drug paraphernalia.

Mugshot of Phillip Michael Briones

On the evening of January 12, officers observed a vehicle with no front license plate around Montana Avenue. A records check revealed that the car's registration was expired. The driver, Timyan Exequiel Mujica, had a felony warrant for grand theft out of San Bernardino County and was promptly placed under arrest. Following a search of Mujica's vehicle, officers found a shoe box containing 24 pairs of glasses, including sunglasses and prescription frames.

Mugshot of Timyan Exequiel Mujica

All of the out-of-town suspects were arrested in violation of local emergency orders. Most were also violating city and county curfew orders. Officers are able to detain and/or arrest "unauthorized subjects" in the evacuation area at any time, SMPD said.

Looters have been emboldened, taking full advantage of a region descended into chaos to plunder homes and pilfer burned-down businesses.

In response, Los Angeles authorities are cracking down on crimes against disaster survivors.

LA County District Attorney Nathan Hochman has vowed to hold looters accountable, saying he's well aware of criminals targeting vulnerable victims and preying on their misfortune. "Let it be clearly known that those who seek to illegally profit from the pain and suffering of others—whether through looting, fraud, theft, burglary, or any other form of criminal activity—will not go unpunished," Hochman said.

This week, Hochman announced charges against 10 people, nine of whom were charged with burglarizing homes in the Eaton and Palisades areas. Charging documents list $200,000 worth of goods stolen from an evacuated residence in Mandeville Canyon. In an Altadena investigation of a burglarized home, police recovered an Emmy award among the stolen property.