'It's Sickening': Looters Steal Firefighter's Wallet While He's Battling Wildfire
Terms such as “lowlife,” “sickening” and “absolutely disgusting behavior” were being bandied about by veteran public safety officials who have seen it all after they learned a firefighter’s wallet had been stolen while he was helping direct the battle against a California wildfire.
After the firefighter was robbed, his credit cards were used and his bank account was drained.
“It’s unfortunate. It’s sickening that one of our fire ground commanders, while out taking care of business and directing firefighting crews, somebody entered his department vehicle and stole his wallet and drained his bank account,” California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Battalion Chief Mark Brunton said in a Sunday media briefing, according to KRON-TV.
“That’s the extent these people have gone,” Brunton added, according to USA Today. “Again, this is why we’ve asked for people to evacuate. The sheriff’s department has done a fantastic job in trying to wrangle this, but again, this is what we have as a result.”
All inquiries regarding this incident should be directed to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office. #CZULightningComplex pic.twitter.com/u8PFPfmOk8
— CAL FIRE CZU (@CALFIRECZU) August 23, 2020
The CZU Lightning Complex Fires cover more than 70,000 acres in San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties.
What it’s like driving through a wildfire at night #CZULightingComplex pic.twitter.com/LdkZBBp1Eb
— CAL FIRE CZU (@CALFIRECZU) August 23, 2020
A spokeswoman for Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart said the theft took place either late Friday or early Saturday at the Bonny Doon Fire Department. The vehicle from which the wallet was stolen was clearly marked as a Cal Fire vehicle, Hart said.
The sheriff said he “can’t imagine a bigger lowlife.”
“To me, it’s just mind-boggling that somebody would have the audacity to do something like that,” he added.
Hart said families are telling authorities that the firefighter who was victimized is not alone.
“What we’re hearing from the community is there’s a lot of looting going on,” he said, according to The Washington Post.
“It takes a special person to wake up in the morning and say, ‘You know what, I’m going to go victimize and traumatize people who have already been through everything this community has been through,’” Hart went on.
Chief Deputy Chris Clark with the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office called the theft “absolutely disgusting behavior.”
“I can’t, frankly, I can’t believe that somebody would actually have the nerve to break into a firefighter’s vehicle or enter their vehicle to steal something from them when they’re there to protect the community. Honestly it blows me away,” he said at a media conference, CNN reported.
Hart predicted a grim future for the thief.
“I’m confident we’re going to find that person. When we do, we’re going to keep him in the county jail and then we’re going to hand that case over to the DA and the DA is going to hammer this guy,” he said.
“Generally the district attorney and myself have a lot of empathy for most people, but I have no empathy, I have no patience for somebody whose going to come into our community and steal from people who have been evacuated and victimized and traumatized.”
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