40+ arrests made in Palisades Fire evacuation zones, police say

SANTA MONICA, Calif. – More than 40 suspects have been arrested within Santa Monica evacuation zones just within the past week, according to police. 

Authorities said all the suspects arrested were in violation of local emergency orders and for violating the city and county curfew orders from Jan. 7 through Jan. 12. 

The curfew is in effect from sunset to sunrise.

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Ten suspects were arrested for burglary and the others for other violations including drug possession, driving violations, outstanding warrants, and parole and probation violations, according to police. Two of the suspects were in possession of concealed handguns. 

Six of them were in possession of burglary tools, and one pair even had the Watch Duty app open on their phones to try to track the evacuation zones, officials said.

None of the suspects are from Santa Monica, authorities added.

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“This is a significant increase in the normal number of arrests in the neighborhoods in the evacuation zones (North of Montana – NOMA and WILMONT),” police said. “Our dedicated team of officers did a phenomenal job saturating the evacuation areas and tamping down criminal activity.”

Additionally, three arrests have been made in connection with two unauthorized drone incidents, according to the sheriff’s office.