A group of thieves staged a daring break-in at a California military base, walking away with an armored military Humvee, two soft Humvees, and an assortment of gear.
Armored military Humvee stolen from base
According to the Tustin Police Department, the suspects infiltrated the Army Reserve Center in Orange County on Wednesday evening.
Among the stolen items were three Humvees—one of which had armored plating—along with eight machine gun mounts, medical kits, 40 pairs of binoculars, tripods, and 18 bayonets.
The thieves gained entry to a storage warehouse sometime between 8 p.m. and 11:30 p.m., Tustin detectives later reported.
Several storage lockers were discovered with broken locks—many missing equipment.
“An attempt was made to cut a lock to uniform storage, however was unsuccessful,” stated the police report.
“A fence was cut to gain access to a military vehicle parking lot where three Humvees were stole. The suspects left the area at an unknown time.”
Each of the missing vehicles is marked with Army administration numbers on their hoods, making them easily identifiable, officials said.
Thankfully, Tustin Police confirmed with the Army that no additional weapons or ammunition, aside from the stolen equipment, have gone missing.
Armored military Humvee still missing
Two of the “soft Humvees” have since been recovered in Santa Ana and Orange on Saturday, however, the armored military Humvee and all of the missing equipment is still missing.
The incident has raised concerns about the robbers’ motives, especially given the timing of the Los Angeles wildfires ravaging nearby areas.
These fears have only escalated because the suspects reportedly tried—and failed—to cut a lock securing military uniforms.
This revelation suggests the thieves may have been planning to pass as Army personnel, potentially to exploit evacuated areas.
Los Angeles authorities have already been tackling opportunistic crimes tied to the wildfires.
L.A. law enforcement has arrested approximately 29 individuals in connection to looting and fire-related crimes, including one burglary case involving a man disguised as a firefighter.
“When I was out there in the Malibu area, I saw a gentleman that looked like a firefighter. And I asked him if he was okay because he was sitting down. I didn’t realize we had him in handcuffs,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna.
“We are turning him over to LAPD because he was dressed like a fireman, and he was not. He just got caught burglarizing a home. So those are issues that our front line deputies and police officers are dealing with.”
The sheriff went on to note that these crimes are particularly troubling for officers already managing high-stress conditions caused by the blaze.
Imposter firefighter arrested
According to Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonald, one individual was detained Saturday night for breaking curfew, while three others were previously caught committing burglary.
“There were three individuals in a vehicle. They were stopped. They were where they weren’t supposed to be. One had on a fire jacket and a fire hat. And he was additionally arrested for impersonating a firefighter,” McDonald shared with reporters.
“We have people who will go to all ends to be able to do what it is they want to do to exploit the victims of this tragedy.”
For safety, a nightly curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. remains strictly enforced, McDonald stated.
“Unless you’re a public safety personnel or some other disaster worker, you have no reason to be at these locations,” McDonald stated. “And if you are in those areas, you will be subject to arrest.”
“Enforcing a curfew is an important tool to keep the burn areas and evacuated properties secure, keeping looters out,” he added. “This effort also helps protect public safety personnel who are operating in darkness in very difficult conditions.”
McDonald also highlighted hidden dangers in these zones, such as downed power lines and harmful materials released from burned debris and plastics.
Amid the chaos, law enforcement cautioned residents to stay vigilant against scammers posing as organizations requesting donations for fire victims.
Sheriff Luna added a stern message to those looking to commit fraud or take advantage of evacuees during this critical period.
“They are all eager to prosecute anybody who is taking advantage of our residents during this very difficult time, whether it is a burglary or it is some kind of white collar crime in a scam or anything that you may be thinking about doing,” Luna warned.
Arsonists arrested in LA
Meanwhile, another alarming arrest was made Sunday when a man in Los Angeles County was caught red-handed setting new fires.
Ruben Montes, aged 29, was arrested in the Irwindale area after firefighters saw him lighting multiple blazes.
Police have confirmed Montes was detained at the scene and arrested on arson charges, though they did not specify whether he was connected to any existing fires in the state.
Just days prior, a suspected arsonist, identified as Mexican national Juan Manuel Sierra-Leyva, was caught by Calabasas residents for allegedly sparking fires near the Kenneth Fire in western Beverly Hills.
Residents filmed as Sierra-Leyva walked around with a yellow blowtorch before being subdued and turned over to local police.
Observers restrained Sierra-Leyva for “about 20 to 30 minutes” until law enforcement arrived on the scene. Officials transported Sierra-Leyva to the Topanga police station soon after.
