Already battling massive Carr Fire, officials now dealing with residential and business looting

REDDING — As the enormous Carr Fire enters its seventh day with all available area resources stretched to their limits, police and sheriff’s officials are now reporting that residential and business looting has become a problem.

Three arrests for looting were reported as of late last night, including one alleged looter who was clad in all-camouflage clothing and carrying a number of illegal weapons as well as a loaded firearm.

More than 3,388 firefighters continue their valiant efforts to bring the more than 95,350 acre blaze under control, amid scorching, triple-digit temperatures.

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So far, the blaze has resulted in six confirmed deaths, including 37-year-old, City of Redding Firefighter Jeremy Stoke and 81-year-old, civilian bulldozer operator, Ray Smith, of Pollock Pines.

Three of those killed in the fire were a 70-year-old great-grandmother, Melody Bledsoe, and her two great-grandchildren, James and Emily Roberts, ages 5 and 4.

After being reported as missing after the fire swept through Redding, officials discovered the trio deceased inside a residence. Officials found the great-grandmother’s body trying to shield her two great-grandchildren from the inferno with a wet blanket.

The sixth victim has not been publicly identified, but according to sources familiar with the victim, the man refused to evacuate when ordered to do so, choosing instead to shelter in place inside his residence.

According to Cal Fire, the massive blaze has consumed 874 homes and structures, with an additional 175 structures damaged.

334 engines, 59 fire crews, 17 helicopters, 68 dozers, and 65 water tenders are now assisting in the huge firefighting effort, under the Unified Command of Cal Fire Shasta-Trinity Unit and Whiskeytown National Park.

As of the most recent official update, released by Cal Fire officials at 8 p.m. last night, the fire is now seventeen percent contained.

“Over the course of the last two days the Redding Police Department, along with numerous other law enforcement agencies, have been conducting patrols in areas evacuated due to the Carr Fire,” Redding PD officials explained in a social media release. “The security patrols are focused on protecting citizens’ homes, businesses and property from looting and theft.”

Officials have announced the arrests of three looters, including one camouflage clad and weapons-toting man apprehended in the Lake Blvd. area and two caught looting homes of electronic equipment in the area of Quartz Hill and Mcleod Roads. One of the looters, Michael Stuebgen, was found clad in all-camouflage clothing and was carrying several illegal weapons.

Although numerous reports of possible looting had been trickling in since the Carr Fire roared into W. Redding Thursday night, July 26, Redding PD was the first to report apprehending a looter late Saturday evening, July 28.

The alleged looter, later identified as 45-year-old, Redding resident, Mitchell Bryan Stuebgen, was apprehended by Redding PD officers around 10:45 p.m. He was located in a portion of Lake Blvd that had previously been evacuated due to the fire.

“Stuebgen was wearing camouflaged clothing and admitted to knowing the area was under evacuation,” Redding PD explained. “A search of his person found him to be in possession of a loaded handgun, a billy club, nunchakus and a concealed dagger.”

“Stuebgen admitted to being a methamphetamine addict and is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition,” said officials. He was eventually booked into Shasta County Jail in Redding on suspicion of carrying a loaded concealed firearm, being in possession of prohibited weapons, being a drug addict in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and being inside an evacuated area.

The following afternoon, Sunday, July 29, officials from numerous area allied law enforcement agencies were continuing their roving patrols covering the countless neighborhoods evacuated because of the fire.

Shortly before 1:30 p.m., officers from Chico Police Department were in the 11000 block of of Quartz Hill Road when they were flagged down by a homeowner. The victim reported he had just returned to his residence after being on another part of his property for about an hour.

After entering his residence, he discovered “fresh shoe prints and water inside his residence,” Shasta County Sheriff’s Sergeant Kyle Wallace explained in a social media release.

Based on the circumstances, Shasta County sheriff’s deputies, Chico PD officers, and other allied agencies responded to the area to begin a systematic search of all evacuated homes in the area.

As officials checked the area and surrounding neighborhoods, they located a residence on McLeod with its front door damaged and forced open.

Officers checked inside the home and located several electronic items that were “stacked and staged” by the front door, according to Wallace, who explained the various items did not appear to have been placed there by the owners.

“Based on the close proximity of the crimes it was believed the subjects may be on foot in the area,” said Wallace. “Officers responded to 16812 McLeod Road because it was known from criminal activities in the past.”

See related: Enormous, 28,000 ac. Carr Fire jumps Sac River, roars into W Redding

When officials arrived at the notorious McLeod residence, they contacted, Jack Fannin, 19, and Jade Ball, 25. Both are Redding residents. While officials were at the residence, “evidence was located that tied both Ball and Fannin to the burglaries,” according to Wallace.

Claiming the couple had been in search of water, Fannin reportedly admitted to deputies that he and Ball entered at least three residences Sunday and Monday.

Based on the circumstances, Fannin and Ball were arrested and booked into Shasta County Jail in Redding on suspicion of looting in an evacuated area, entering a known disaster area, and conspiracy to comment a felony.

A Cal Fire release indicated firefighters today focused on building control lines despite ongoing “extreme” fire conditions, including “shifting winds, dry fuels, and steep drainages” that contributed to the fire’s rapid growth.

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Carr Fire Community Meeting Notice July 30, 2018 at 4 p.m.

Phone Numbers:

Carr Fire Information Line (530) 225-2510

Carr Fire Media Line (530) 448-2466

Carr Fire Fatality Information Line (530) 734-8762

Mike Daly video

Mike Daly video

Mike Daly video

 

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 47, recently moved to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for several other news organizations, including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, The Valley Chronicle and Anza Valley Outlook, as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and The Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.