Wealthy and famous residents of Los Angeles' fire-ravaged Pacific Palisades community frequently rely on private security, but private security experts say Los Angeles' notorious red tape has made it difficult for security guards to It is said that some customers are being turned away.
At least 20 people have been arrested on looting-related charges, and authorities said the number could rise while warning residents and copycats alike.
Craig Pohl, CEO of ASC Private Security in Los Angeles, said he has bodies willing to work on-site, but he does not allow his clients to send bodies into restricted areas where they are needed. He said he couldn't get it.
“I was on hold with the LAPD for 45 minutes and no one came out,” he told Fox News Digital. “So I pretty much knew that even if they answered the phone, they would blow me off, so I eventually gave up on it.”
Los Angeles area residents need phone numbers and how to get help.
Firefighters battle the Kenneth Fire in the West Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles on Thursday, January 9, 2025. (Ethan Swope/Associated Press)
He said one of his customers was so worried that he snuck behind the police line and climbed a mountain to search through his belongings, and asked the agent if he could do the same. He said that's not possible, but he hopes police will allow the team to enter.
In particular, the Pacific Palisades region, which is at the center of some of the largest ongoing wildfires, is a high-income area that is already under frequent threat from robberies and home invasions.
“These are $30 million, $40 million, $50 million homes inhabited by individuals who deserve that level of property to be properly protected,” he said.
Wind fans embers as firefighters battle a fire in the Angeles National Forest near Mount Wilson as wildfires burn in the Los Angeles area during the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California, January 9, 2025. (Reuters/Chiu Ringo)
“The crime is terrible,” he added. “Regardless of what you hear on the news from time to time, if you pay close attention, there are robberies happening every night. The Pacific Palisades happens to be one of the highest crime areas right now. It's happening every day. With home invasions and robberies happening, homeowners rightly need and want to be able to access their homes safely during these times.”
Paul said he feels that some private security companies are run by people with law enforcement experience, while others are not, and that they are treated differently by authorities.
People watch smoke and flames from the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, on January 7, 2025. Fueled by strong Santa Ana winds, the Palisades Fire has grown to more than 2,900 acres and 30,000 people have been ordered to evacuate, while a second fire is burning near Eaton Canyon. (Tiffany Rose/Getty Images)
Still, David Katz, CEO of Global Security Group and a former Drug Enforcement Administration special agent, said his company pulled out of Los Angeles several years ago.
“The looting is terrible…People are risking their lives to stay because they know that if they leave, their property will be stolen, and if they don't end up going up in flames, their property will be stolen.” told Fox News Digital. “There are a lot of players who can participate, but they will have to work on exemptions.”
Firefighters save what's left of a home from the Palisades fire. (Mark J. Terrill)
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Herman Weisberg, a former New York City police detective and managing director of SAGE Intelligence, a private investigative firm that also provides armed security to stars, said some of his clients would be able to afford irreplaceable art if the flames were to subside. Some said they feared losing goods and other possessions to looters. Don't reach them first.
“The government is very [and] “It's obviously a scary, really difficult job that they're working on,” he told Fox News Digital, “and now we're trying to address the needs and concerns of our clients, It's the worst time from our perspective.'' And we respect the work of the government and try to work with it rather than against it. ”
Firefighters communicate in front of the advancing Kenneth Fire in the West Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles on Thursday, Jan. 9. (AP/Ethan Swope)
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He said he hasn't seen conditions this bad since Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005.
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“I've been up all night doing logistics to get people on site, house them, get the right vehicles and supplies,” he said. “The next few days are going to be tough for my industry, for the government, for law enforcement, for the fire department, and first and foremost for the families, individuals and businesses affected.”
Two people ride bicycles amid the destruction left by the Palisades fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Thursday, January 9, 2025. (Jae C. Hong/AP)
Meanwhile, the cancellation of Hollywood award shows has already eased some of the burden, allowing businesses to move away from previously booked red carpet events and work on-site to help clients in their respective communities. It became.
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“Instead of standing on the red carpet and protecting people, you're going to be out there protecting people in the community,” he said. “The more productions Hollywood cancels, the better for everyone from a security standpoint.”
