Crime & Safety
Tipsters ID Suspect In Vandalization Of Wildlife Detection Equipment
Irvine police said community tips helped detectives quickly identify a man suspected of vandalizing lifesaving fire detection equipment.
LAKE FOREST, CA — A man caught on camera damaging and disabling wildfire detection equipment in South Orange County was identified by community members and interviewed by authorities Thursday, according to the Irvine Police Department.
Authorities circulated several photos Wednesday that investigators said showed the same suspect vandalizing "critical" safety devices on several occasions in an open area near Lake Forest and Bake Parkway.
We are trying to identify this man who has been damaging and disabling advanced wildfire detection equipment in the open space near Lake Forest and Bake Parkway. If you have information, please email ipdpio@cityofirvine.org. pic.twitter.com/u3VaCxlx76
— Irvine Police Department (@IrvinePolice) March 6, 2024
In an update shared Thursday night, police said community tips helped identify the man in the photos, and detectives interviewed him earlier in the day. The department did not immediately name the suspect but said the case would be forwarded to the Orange County District Attorney's Office for a charging decision.
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