Video footage shows individuals stealing firefighting gear during Los Angeles wildfires emergency response

Federal investigators are searching for the suspects, caught on surveillance footage, allegedly stealing fire equipment from a U.S. Forest Service strike team during a Southern California windstorm event. 

U.S. Forest Service officials say the incident happened on Friday, January 17, around 3 a.m., when thieves targeted firefighters from a strike team who were responding to a “high wind event,” in Rancho Cucamonga, a San Bernardino County city about 40 miles east of Los Angeles.

The team had parked their engine behind a Hilton Hotel when surveillance cameras caught two male suspects pull up next to the engine and “forcibly open” three locked compartments of the engine and removed essential fire equipment, the agency said in statement. 

The two male suspects were then seen fleeing with the equipment in a red two-door Jeep Wrangler with a black soft top, tan seats and a partially visible California license plate starting with the number “6”.

A person arrested for impersonating a firefighter in the Palisades Fire evacuation area. He and another person were spotted on mopeds in the evacuation zone. (Eric Fox/ Fox First On Scene Photography)

Authorities have made several arrests in recent weeks of individuals who have impersonated firefighters or pretending to be members of the media to enter a fire zone.

“These arrests underscore the strength of our partnership with LASD as we work together to secure and protect the communities affected by the wildfires,” CHP said in a previous statement.

“Criminal activities such as unlawful entry into evacuation zones, forging press passes, and looting will not be tolerated.” 

Fox News’ Mollie Markowitz contributed to this report.