Ben Affleck’s neighbourhood has been a host to officials from the FBI, the LAPD, and now the National Guard this past week as the fight to contain the Los Angeles wildfires continues. In recent pictures obtained by Page Six, the 52-year-old Hollywood star’s residence in Brentwood became the focus of concerning visuals.
A massive military vehicle parked outside the Air director’s LA home again drew attention, but an unfazed Affleck ultimately went on about his business unperturbed. The pictures also caught a man in an Army uniform standing by the large truck.
Ben Affleck not in legal trouble despite law enforcement patrolling the neighbourhood
A source eventually confirmed that the military vehicles belonged to the National Guard. They said, “They are parked outside every evacuation point, not allowing anyone through, and his house is at the border of—but outside—one of the points.” The insider also emphasised that the ongoing unusual police activity “has nothing to do with Ben.”
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As was easy to guess, the back-and-forth movement of law enforcement authorities in the area is attributed to the destructive California wildfires. A spokesperson for the National Guard added, “We have over 2,500 service members actively supporting wildfire response down in Los Angeles. Of that, more than 1,770 Soldiers are performing consequence management operations supporting local law enforcement agencies.”
“That includes providing over 100 traffic control points (TCPs) throughout impacted communities and supporting law enforcement from preventing looting and controlling evacuated areas. Those checkpoints are primarily at the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire locations and the surrounding communities.”
The director of communication explained, “Our checkpoints are a 24/7 operation, and they routinely move based on where law enforcement need them.”
Local cops outside Ben Affeleck’s Brentwood home
Snaps from earlier this week saw a visibly frustrated Ben Affleck engaged in a heavy interaction with LAPD cops right outside his house. It is speculated that the Oscar winner gave them an earful about private security measures in the neighbourhood. A source said that the actor was only “talking to the police” about private security personnel blocking residents from going to their homes.
The Accountant star recently returned to his home after temporarily seeking refuge at his ex-wife Jennifer Garner’s place as the blazing tragedies got out of control. Affleck’s place is not in a mandatory evacuation zone.
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FBI visited Ben Affleck’s LA home after launching probe
Even prior to the mentioned encounter, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and LA County sheriff deputies took charge of an investigation after a civilian-owned drone flying illegally over the Palisades Fire collided with a firefighting aircraft. An FBI spokesperson also corroborated the case, saying that the agency was investigating “unauthorised drone activity.”
Although Affleck himself is apparently out of trouble, FBI agents are believed to have rung up his doorbell at the time, seeking “CCTV footage of private which damaged a super scooper, one of the firefighting aircrafts.”