The California Highway Patrol has issued a press release on the Friday, Feb. 21 arrest of Karen Mastey, of Valencia, who is accused of looting valuables from a home destroyed in the Palisades Fire. The CHP reported:

“On Feb. 21, 2025, at approximately 1 p.m., officers from the California Highway Patrol West Valley Area Office were notified of looting occurring at a residence in Pacific Palisades. Officers responded to the scene but were unable to locate the suspect. The victim provided a detailed description of the suspect and the suspect’s vehicle. Officers determined the vehicle was registered to an address in Valencia and subsequently requested assistance from CHP Newhall officers to respond to the address.

Officers from the CHP Newhall Area Office then responded to the address out of Valencia, where they located and arrested the suspect, who was found in possession of antique items stolen from the residence.

The suspect, Karen Mastey, who was observed looting a burned-down residence that had been severely impacted by the recent fires was arrested for Grand Theft under Penal Code 487(a) and subsequently booked at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station.

CHP officers have remained actively involved in the recovery efforts for the Pacific Palisades community, offering support and resources to those affected by the fire.

CHP Chief Chris Margaris expressed pride in the officers’ dedication to the community, stating, ‘I am incredibly proud of the swift action taken by our officers to protect the public and prevent further harm. Their commitment to serving and assisting those in need during this challenging period reflects the highest standards of the CHP.'”

Photos provided by the CHP showed Mastey wearing a “Palisades Strong” t-shirt. Other photos provided by the CHP showed the items allegedly removed from the property and a photo of the destroyed home.