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The rich and famous residents of Los Angeles’ fire-ravaged Pacific Palisades community often use private security, but Los Angeles According to private security experts, the infamous red tape keeps some of their security guards away from customers.
At least 20 people were arrested on looting charges, and authorities, warning residents and the impersonator, said the number could rise.
Craig Paul, CEO of ASC Private Security in Los Angeles, said he has people in the field who want to work, but he can’t get permission to send them to restricted areas where his clients need them.
“I sat on hold for 45 minutes at the LAPD and no one ever picked up the phone,” he told Fox News Digital. “So I finally gave it up, pretty much knowing that even if they answered the call, they were going to screw me over.”
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Fire crews battle the Kennett fire in the West Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (Ethan Swope/AP)
He said one of his clients got behind the police line and up the hill to check on his property because he was so worried – then asked if his agents could do the same. That’s not an option, he said, but he hopes the police will let his team in.
In particular, the community of Pacific Palisades, which is at the center of one of the largest active wildfires, is a high-income community that already faces frequent threats of burglary and home invasions.
“These are $30, $40, $50 million homes with individuals who deserve proper protection of that level of property,” he said.
Wind disperses embers as a firefighter battles a blaze in the Angeles National Forest near Mount Wilson as wildfires burn in the Los Angeles area during the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California, on January 9, 2025. (REUTERS/Ringo Chiu)
“Crime is horrible,” he added. “Despite what we sometimes hear on the news, if you really pay attention, burglaries happen every night. Pacific Palisades is one of the worst areas for crime right now. It’s daily. There are home invasions and burglaries, so homeowners doing justice, they need and want their security to be able to access their homes at a time like this.”
While some private security firms are run by people with law enforcement experience, others are not, Paul said, and he sees a difference in how they are treated by authorities.
People watch smoke and flames from the Palisades fire in the Pacific Palisades area on January 7, 2025. in Los Angeles, California. The Palisades Fire, fueled by strong Santa Ana winds, has burned more than 2,900 acres and 30,000 people have been ordered to evacuate, while a second fire broke out near Eaton Canyon. (Tiffany Rose/Getty Images)
Despite this, David Katz, CEO of Global Security Group and former Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agentsaid his firm left Los Angeles years ago.
“Robbery is bad…People stay and risk their lives because they know if they leave, their property will be stolen unless it’s burned,” he told Fox News Digital. “I’ve got a ton of guys who could go, but they’re going to have to work under waivers.”
Firefighters protect what’s left of homes from the Palisades fire. (Mark J. Terrill)
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Herman Weisberg, a former NYPD detective and managing director of SAGE Intelligence, a private investigation firm that also provides armed security for the stars, said some of his clients fear they could lose irreplaceable artwork and other belongings to the looters if the flames disappear. don’t reach them first.
“The government has a very (and) obviously terrible, very difficult job that they’re dealing with,” he told Fox News Digital. “From my point of view, we’re at the worst part of it right now, trying to deal with the needs and challenges of my clients, and trying to respect the work of the government and try to work with them, not against them. “
A firefighter talks before the incoming Kenneth Fire in the West Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles on Thursday, Jan. 9. (AP/Ethan Swope)
WATCH: Private security firm destroyed by fire in Los Angeles’ Pacific Palisades
He said he hasn’t seen a situation this bad since Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005.
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“I’ve been up all night trying to work with the logistics of getting people there, getting people housed and getting the right vehicles and supplies,” he said. “These will be difficult days for my industry and for government, law enforcement, the fire service and, obviously, most of all for the families, individuals and companies affected.”
Two people ride bicycles amid the destruction left by the Palisades fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (Jae C. Hong/AP)
On the other hand, the cancellation of the Hollywood awards ceremony has already taken some of the burden off, allowing him to step away from previously booked red carpet events and help clients in their own communities.
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“Instead of standing on a red carpet protecting people, they’re going to be out there protecting people in their own communities,” he said. “The more things Hollywood takes down, the better it is for everyone in terms of safety.”
