Man Arrested With Backpack Full Of Burglary Tools Near Valley Fire-Damaged Neighborhood
MIDDLETOWN (CBS SF) -- A man found with burglary tools inside the Valley Fire zone was arrested Tuesday, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports Royce Sterling Moore, 26, was arrested at a Highway 29 roadblock near a heavily fire-damaged neighborhood in Kelseyville.
Deputies found him in the back of a car acting suspicious "as if he was hiding something from the deputies," Sgt. Steve Brooks said.
After two warrants popped up under his name, deputies detained him and discovered a stockpile of alleged burglary gear inside his backpack.
Moore was arrested for the two outstanding warrants and on suspicion of possessing burglary tools and a pipe allegedly used for methamphetamine. He's being held at the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility.
Authorities have arrested at least two other suspects with burned out safes in their vehicles.
The Santa Rosa Press Democrat reports Wednesday that Lake County Sheriff Brian Martin said he didn't have further details about the arrests.
He said deputies are unable to stand guard at individual homes. He characterized Middletown and Hidden Valley Lake as most vulnerable because that's where the most homes were left standing while residents remained evacuated.
"It's disgusting that some people would take advantage of others at a tragic time like this," Lake County Sheriff Brian Martin said Tuesday. "Unfortunately, it's happening. We will continue our patrol for looters."
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As of 6:40 a.m. Wednesday, the fire is now 30 percent contained, according to Cal Fire. The fast-moving fire has scorched 70,000 acres since it started Saturday afternoon.
Fire officials report 585 homes and hundreds of other structures have already been destroyed. Meanwhile, 9,000 structures remain threatened.
Cal Fire reports 2,793 fire personal were battling the blaze as of Wednesday morning. Hundreds of additional crews were brought in overnight. As weather cleared, firefighting aircraft were brought in to support control operations.
