As we reported yesterday, losses from the wildfires in Los Angeles county are poised to reach $250 billion or more. Property isn't only being destroyed -- it's also being stolen by brazen looters. The neighbor of one LA county resident gave a disturbing description of what was going on on their street: "There were like a hundred people that came up on scooters and were trying to get into any and all houses on this street."
In response, LA County Sheriff Robert Luna has imposed a curfew, saying, "We're not screwing around with this; we don't want people taking advantage of our residents that have already been victimized." Of course, strong words are little defense against looters determined to prey on vulnerable innocents. Much as the bad guys ignore strong words, so too are plenty of good guys and gals who are opting to defy evacuation orders so they can secure their own property.

"I get that [police will] say this is 'the rule,' but it's our land and our neighborhood and as much as I respect the authorities, we're much more competent than them," said Gerber, who said a neighborhood WhatsApp channel has proven to be an organizational resource that's "better than any government."
Others are staying put in their homes, ready to use gunpower to thwart looters. "I do have firearms and I've been calling my friends to make sure I know how to legally exist with them," Altadena resident EveAnna Manley told KTLA 5. She has a slogan displayed on her Starlink satellite internet receiver: "If You Are Lootin' We Are Shootin'."
Nanley said that, in addition to looters, the defiant residents -- who call themselves "the stayers" -- are also keeping their eyes out for fire flareups. Manley says she's helping neighbors by letting them use her shower, doing laundry for them, and even cooking bacon and eggs for them.
The Stayers know that if they leave the neighborhood, they won't be able to return, as police checkpoints are turning away anybody who tries to enter. For now, police are allowing supplies to come to the checkpoints, where stayers can receive the goods and return to their homes. Manley is grateful for the police barrier: "It's a 'hard no' blockade and I'm glad for that. I want the 'hard no' because I don't want anyone else up here."
Another Altadena resident, Aaron Lubeley, tells the Journal that he's been keeping vigil near what's left of this fire-ravaged property. Sleeping in his SUV, a 9mm handgun by his side, he's watching his neighborhood for criminals and resurgent fires, saying it "gives me a sense of value and purpose." While touring his property, he swings from a voice choked with emotion to one filled with humor -- as he refers to his burned home's new "open floor plan."
As many ZeroHedge readers know, Los Angeles history offers a legendary example of armed citizens banding together to safeguard their property from looting hordes. During the 1992 riots, Korean store owners took rooftop positions and nobly guarded their shops with rifles. Images of the "Rooftop Koreans" continue to serve as an enduring reminder of the power of citizens to safeguard their property when government police cannot or will not do so -- and a reminder of why armed self-defense is a fundamental human right.
Reader Comments
Social signalling, working on their PR and crisis management, cutting budgets, taking every freebie going, and avoiding serious questions.
Newsom hopes things will be different in future. He's not wrong there. The people expect a little bit more than hope from their NWO lap dogs. Or perhaps they really shouldn't.
Wow. Just wow. If cooking a breakfast for your now homeless neighbor is something that you „even” do, you’re seriously f* up. Is it really so inhumane there in the US? I hope not.