Isla Vista vandals steal from fire trucks

The Santa Barbara County Fire Department has had to protect its trucks and gear from vandals at the same time it’s trying to save lives in Isla Vista.

Captain David Sadecki says at times, a firefighter has to stay behind, near the truck to keep college-aged people away.

He says they have found people “climbing inside, on top of the truck, trying to get into the wheel box on the back of the ladder truck.”

And during the spring event known as “Deltopia” Sadecki says, “I think we had a radio that was missing.”

That emergency radio has not been recovered.

Sadecki says other agencies including the U.C. Santa Barbara Campus Safety Officers have assisted by protecting the fire rigs so an additional firefighter can help on fire and medical calls.

The fire department says anyone caught delaying a firefighter or stealing from a fire truck will face an arrest.