🇺🇸🔥 DOZENS OF LOOTERS ARRESTED DURING PALISADES LA FIRE DISASTER USING WATCH DUTY APP TO TARGET AREAS

The Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) has been actively addressing criminal activities in the evacuation zones due to the Palisades Fire. Here's a breakdown of the arrests and incidents reported:

Burglary Suspects: SMPD has arrested 10 individuals for attempted burglary since the fire began. None of these suspects are residents of Santa Monica. Notable details include:

Joshua Kaliel Love, 29, was caught after a brief chase with items like a dagger, window-breaking tool, and narcotics, leading to charges of attempted burglary. He was on probation.

Miguel Angel Dorantes (22) and Dominic Pachecomanga (18) were found in possession of burglary tools, ski masks, and gloves after being pulled over for running a stop sign. They had the Watch Duty app open on their phone, allegedly tracking evacuation zones.

Gabriel Isaih Stokes, 27, was arrested after driving a stolen car, possessing fraudulent IDs, and burglary tools. He faces charges of grand theft and false impersonation, with a history of similar crimes.

Additional Arrests: Apart from burglary arrests, SMPD has detained 39 people in total within the evacuation zones, with charges ranging from curfew violations and drug possession, to various warrants and probation violations. 

Burglary Tools: Six of the burglary suspects were carrying burglary tools, indicating premeditated criminal intent. 

Watch Duty App: One notable aspect was the use of the Watch Duty app by some suspects to track evacuation zones, suggesting they were exploiting the situation for criminal activities.

Successful Burglaries: There were two instances where burglaries were successful, and those cases remain under active investigation by SMPD.

These arrests demonstrate the heightened vigilance and response by law enforcement in areas affected by evacuations due to natural disasters like wildfires, aiming to prevent crime in vulnerable situations.

 The use of technology by both criminals and law enforcement in this scenario highlights the evolving nature of crime prevention and response.