The rich and famous residents of Los Angeles' fire-hit Pacific Palisades community are frequent users of private security, but Los Angeles' infamous bureaucracy keeps some of its guards away from their clientele, according to private security experts.
At least 20 people have been arrested on looting-related charges, and authorities, while warning residents and copycats alike, said the numbers could rise.
Craig Paul, CEO of ASC Private Security in Los Angeles, said he has bodies on the ground willing to work, but he can't get authorization to send them inside restricted areas where his clients need them.
“I was on hold for 45 minutes with the LAPD and no one answered,” he told Fox News Digital. “So I finally gave up, pretty much knowing that even if they answer the phone, they're going to leave me behind.”
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Fire crews battle the Kenneth Fire in the West Hills section of Los Angeles, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (Ethan Swope/AP)
He said one of his clients sneaked behind police lines and climbed a mountain to check his property because he was so worried, and then asked if his officers could do that too. That's not an option, he said, but he's hopeful police will allow their teams inside.
The Pacific Palisades community in particular, at the heart 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 people who deserve to have that level of property properly protected,” he said.
Wind whips embers as a firefighter battles the fire 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 terrible,” he added. “Regardless of what we sometimes hear on the news, if you really pay attention, there are robberies every night. Pacific Palisades happens to be one of the worst neighborhoods for crime right now. It's daily. There are home break-ins and break-ins, so homeowners are right and need and want their security to be able to access their homes at a time like this.”
While some private security companies are run by people with law enforcement experience, others are not, Paul said, and he sees a difference in the way authorities treat them.
People watch smoke and flames from the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood on January 7, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. Driven by intense Santa Ana winds, the Palisades Fire has grown to more than 2,900 acres and 30,000 people have been ordered to evacuate as a second fire erupts near Eaton Canyon. (Tiffany Rose/Getty Images)
Still, David Katz, CEO of Global Security Group and a former DEA special agent, said his company pulled out of Los Angeles years ago.
“Looting is bad… People stay and risk their lives because they know that if they leave their property will be stolen, otherwise they will end up burning it,” he told Fox News Digital. “I have tons of guys that could go, but they would have to work on a waiver.”
Firefighters protect what remains of homes from the Palisades Fire. (Mark J. Terrill)
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Herman Weisberg, a former New York police detective and CEO of SAGE Intelligence, a private investigation firm that also provides armed security to stars, said some of his clients fear losing irreplaceable art and other belongings to criminals. looters if the flames disappear. Don't get to them first.
“The government has a very, [and] “It's obviously a horrible, really difficult job that they're facing,” he told Fox News Digital. “And right now, from my perspective, we're in the worst part, trying to deal with my clients' needs and concerns.” and also try to respect the work of the government and try to work together with them instead of against them.”
A firefighter reports to the Kenneth Fire advancing in the West Hills section of Los Angeles on Thursday, January 9. (AP/Ethan Swope)
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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 out the logistics of getting people there, housing them and getting the right vehicles and supplies,” he said. “It's going to be a difficult couple of days for my industry and for the government, law enforcement, the fire department and obviously, first and foremost, 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, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. (Jae C. Hong/AP)
On the other hand, the cancellation of Hollywood's awards shows was already easing some of the burden, allowing him to shift his boots 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 will be out there protecting people in their communities,” he said. “The more things Hollywood cancels, the better it is for everyone, from a safety standpoint.”
