A group of Los Angeles residents confronted and arrested a man they believe is an arsonist responsible for instigating one of the… several forest fires in Southern California, video shows.
Los Angeles police have taken a man into custody after a group of Good Samaritans grabbed him at the Kenneth Fire, allegedly with a blowtorch, according to video from FOX 11 Los Angeles.
The video shows a man appearing to be holding a torch head and a yellow fuel tank. At least five residents surround him and knock him to the ground.
the police said it was too early to confirm whether it was linked to any fires.
ESSENTIAL TELEPHONE NUMBERS FOR LOS ANGELES RESIDENTS AND HOW TO HELP THEM
A still image from a home’s security video appears to show a Los Angeles man holding a torch head and a fuel tank before residents confronted him and called police as wildfires raged in Southern California. Police said he was taken into custody but could not confirm whether he was linked to any fires. (FOX 11 Los Angeles)
“Today at 4:32 p.m., a radio call was generated on the 21700 block of Ybarra Road for a possible arson suspect. A man was heard stating that a suspect was ‘trying to start a fire,’” an LAPD spokesperson told Fox News. . “The suspect is in custody and has been transported to Topanga Station. We are continuing our investigation and we CANNOT confirm any connection to a fire by this suspect at this time.”
LA PALISADES FIRE RAISES FEARS OF Looting, PUSHING PRIVATE SECURITY GUARDS TO THE EDGE
The arrest comes as a Los Angeles law enforcement source tells Fox News Digital that it is not unusual for people to have deliberately started wildfires.
“When you have wind conditions like that, the serial arsonists come out, who are sick,” the source said. However, as of Friday, there has been no confirmed link between arson and any of the fires.
PALISADES FIRE: HEIDI MONTAG, SPENCER PRATT LOSE HOME; Celebrities flee the RITZY NEIGHBORHOOD
Flames from the Palisades Fire burn a building on Sunset Boulevard amid a powerful storm on January 8, 2025 in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Fueled by intense Santa Ana winds, the Palisades Fire has grown to more than 15,000 acres and 30,000 people have been ordered to evacuate as a second major blaze continues to burn near Eaton Canyon in Altadena. (Apu Gomes/Getty Images)
The Palisades fire in particular has impacted Hollywood stars and their neighbors — prime targets for looters looking to steal homes after their owners have evacuated.
While authorities poured water on some theories of arson spread by celebritiesAuthorities have made at least 20 arrests across the province for looting, as residents struggle to hire private security companies to protect their homes.
Herman Weisberg, the director of the private security and investigative firm SAGE Intelligence, told Fox News Digital on Thursday that all of his staff in Los Angeles had been tapped and that he was having difficulty flying support from elsewhere in the country as hotels fill up with displaced persons. residents and rental cars are sold out across the region.
“We’ve already deployed almost all the assets I have in California on various assignments, but we’re trying to mobilize even more people from out of town, which has its own problems,” he said. “Everyone we have is a former law enforcement officer, but not everyone is licensed in the state of California.”
Police shoot celebrities pushing arson theories
Fire crews respond to destroyed homes as a helicopter drops water as the Palisades Fire grows on January 7, 2025 in Pacific Palisades, California. (DAVID SWANSON/AFP via Getty Images)
Craig Paul, head of ASC Private Security, said he spent the day Thursday trying to get permission for more of his teams to enter restricted areas.
“We have many customers in the burn area for which we provide security service every day, from 12 to 24 hours,” he told Fox News Digital. “As if the residents aren’t already going through hell, they are now learning about the looting and are frantically calling for me to get back up there to protect what they have left.”
A house goes up in flames during the Eaton fire in the Altadena area of Los Angeles County, California on January 8, 2025 (JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images)
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He said he also has new potential clients asking for help in the Pacific Palisades community, but he has problems obtaining permission.
“I have the staff ready and eager to work, but the officials are not allowing us,” he said.
Fox News’ Matt Finn contributed to this report.
