LOS ANGELES, CA – California lawmakers have introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at strengthening penalties for looting and impersonating emergency personnel during wildfires and other natural disasters, saying existing laws are too weak to serve as an effective deterrent.
Assembly Bill 469, introduced by Assemblymembers Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino), Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks), and Blanca Pacheco (D-Downey), would classify looting as a felony offense punishable by state prison time. The bill also seeks to close legal loopholes that have made prosecuting crimes in evacuation zones more difficult.
“Individuals who put our firefighters at risk and prey on communities when they are at their most vulnerable must be held accountable,” Gabriel said at a press conference announcing the proposal. “Looters – particularly those who impersonate emergency personnel – create chaos and confusion, endanger residents and first responders, and undermine public trust in evacuation orders.”
The legislation follows reports of criminal activity during recent wildfires, including the Palisades and Eaton fires, where authorities arrested several suspected looters. In one case, two individuals from Oregon were apprehended for allegedly driving a decommissioned fire truck into the Palisades Fire evacuation zone while posing as firefighters.
Supporters of the bill, including Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman, argue that current looting laws fail to provide sufficient penalties. While first-degree burglary charges can carry state prison sentences, the existing looting statute only allows for misdemeanor charges, with a maximum penalty of one year in county jail.
Ventura County District Attorney Eric Nasarenko pointed to past cases where gaps in the law limited prosecution efforts. During the 2017 Thomas Fire, for instance, thieves targeted evacuated families’ vehicles in Oxnard, but prosecutors were unable to charge them under looting statutes because the cars had been left unlocked.
“We need to stop when theft occurs in the disaster zone in the state of emergency,” Nasarenko said. “It needs to be charged appropriately, fairly, and it needs to represent the conduct of the crime.”
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna emphasized that fear of looting often discourages residents from evacuating, placing them in greater danger during fast-moving wildfires.
“A lot of the heroic stories that occurred within law enforcement in these fire zones were going back to rescue people whose lives were in peril because they did not evacuate,” Luna said. “I want people to feel confident to be able to leave their homes.”
The bill would impose felony charges for looting and for impersonating emergency personnel, including firefighters, police officers, and National Guard members, during declared states of emergency. Protections would extend beyond the initial disaster to cover the recovery and rebuilding phases.
The proposal has received backing from the California Professional Firefighters, California District Attorneys Association, and California Police Chiefs Association. Legislators are pushing to fast-track its passage, citing concerns about future disasters and the risk of post-wildfire looting in vulnerable communities.
“When disaster strikes, no one should have to choose between following evacuation orders and protecting their property,” Pacheco said. “This bill sends a clear message that we will not tolerate Californians being criminally targeted during their most vulnerable moments.”
