Newsom calls for looting to be a felony in evacuation zones amid LA inferno

FIRST ON FOX: California Gov. Gavin Newsom is calling for looting successful occurrence evacuation zones to beryllium a felony aft prosecutors successful Southern California urged him this week to contented harsher penalties, Fox News Digital has exclusively learned.

"Preying connected radical astatine their astir susceptible is despicable, these criminals are among the worst kinds," Newsom said successful a connection provided to Fox News Digital connected Thursday afternoon. 

Newsom said "looting has ne'er been ineligible here" and that "it volition not beryllium tolerated" arsenic the authorities continues to conflict the ravenous inferno that broke retired connected Jan. 7. 

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"And that's wherefore I've tasked – from the opening – enactment from CalGuard and CHP [California Highway Patrol] to support impacted residents and their property," Newsom said. 

So far, Los Angeles County's recently elected tough-on-crime territory attorney, Nathan Hochman, has issued respective arson felonies this week successful unrelated cases arsenic firefighters proceed to conflict the blaze crossed the region. Fox News Digital antecedently reported that authorities person arrested astatine slightest a twelve individuals successful transportation with looting and arson.

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Hochman issued a informing to others "contemplating akin acts," vowing individuals would beryllium "prosecuted to the fullest grade of the law." Armed homeowners successful immoderate neighborhoods impacted by the fires person taken matters into their ain hands to support homes that person not been destroyed.

Newsom's nationalist telephone comes aft Hochman and District Attorney Todd Spitzer, of neighboring Orange County, teamed up connected Tuesday to inquire the politician to marque looting a felony. Newsom has travel nether occurrence precocious for his handling of the situation from celebrities and lawmakers alike.

The Los Angeles wildfires person killed 2 twelve people, and that fig is expected to emergence arsenic authorities proceed containment efforts. 

Fox News Digital's Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.