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Thieves stole an assortment of military equipment on Wednesday including three Humvees and 18 bayonets from the Army Reserve Center in Tustin, according to a local police statement issued on Friday.
Newsweek contacted the Department of Defense and Tustin Police Department for comment on Saturday via email and phone respectively outside of regular office hours.
Why It Matters
Tustin is located within the Los Angeles metropolitan area in California which has been rocked by a series of devastating wildfires since Tuesday, with some properties being targeted by looters following evacuation orders for residents.
The robbery raises fresh concerns about stretched police resources in Los Angeles, along with worries about what the stolen military property could be used for.
What To Know
The Tustin Police Department announced the robbery took place with a statement on their official Facebook page on Friday. It said the break-in at the Army Reserve Center in Tustin took place between 8 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. local time on January 8.
According to the department, a number of storage lockers were found with their locks removed and items missing, whilst a fence leading to a military vehicle parking lot was cut. Police believe multiple suspects were involved who then “left the area at an unknown time.”
The missing items include three Humvees, one of which was armored, eight machine gun vehicle mounts, 18 bayonets, and 40 pairs of binoculars. An attempt was made to cut a lock leading to a uniform storage facility, but this was unsuccessful.
JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP/GETTY
Police emphasized there had been “no known loss of weapons or ammunition” beyond the items it had listed.
Since Tuesday, a series of wildfires have ripped across thousands of acres on the western and northern edges of Los Angeles, killing at least 11 people. Just one inferno, the Palisades fire, consumed 21,500 acres and on Saturday morning was making its way toward the highly populated San Fernando Valley.
The wildfires have forced at least 180,000 people to leave their homes, with pockets of looting reported in some evacuated areas. On Wednesday, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna told reporters two people had been arrested that morning for looting.
Some Los Angeles residents expressed fears about leaving their homes due to looting, whilst military police from the California National Guard were deployed to help maintain order.
What People Are Saying
In its statement, the Tustin Police Department said: “On Wednesday, January 8, 2025, between 8 pm and 11:30 pm unknown suspects entered a storage warehouse at the Army Reserve Center in Tustin. Multiple storage lockers were discovered with locks removed and missing gear.
“An attempt was made to cut a lock to uniform storage, however it was unsuccessful. A fence was cut to gain access to a military vehicle parking lot where three Humvees were stolen. The suspects left the area at an unknown time.”
Speaking on Wednesday, Los Angeles County Sheriff Luna said: “It’s always sad when I have to say this, but part of our responsibility is to make sure no one loots or steals from our residents or our community members who are already being impacted…
“So if you are thinking about coming into any of these areas to steal from our residents, I’m going to tell you something: You’re going to be caught, you’re going to be arrested and you’re going to be prosecuted.”
What Happens Next
Police are continuing to investigate the Tustin Army Reserve Center robbery. Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact the Tustin Police Department via 714-573-3245.
More powerful winds are expected to hit Los Angeles on Saturday night, with speeds of 20-40 miles per hour, further complicating efforts to bring the wildfires under control.