Deputies and loved ones are asking for the community’s help in searching for an at-risk man who was last seen on Dec. 13 in El Monte.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department describes Derek Ceasar Elizondo as a 35-year-old Hispanic male who stands 5 feet and 8 inches tall and weighs about 175 lbs.

According to LASD, Elizondo, who is a resident of Los Angeles County, was last seen around 1:30 p.m. on Friday near the 10000 block of Railroad Street, wearing a black jacket, brown shirt, black pants and black shoes.

Other visual descriptions of the missing person included that he has black hair and brown eyes.

Elizondo’s family members are worried for his well-being, sharing that he suffers from what was only described as “a mental disorder,” and that he requires daily medication.

Officials encourage anyone with information about this incident to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Missing Persons Unit at 323-890-5500.  

To provide information anonymously, call “Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), or use the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.

Firefighters have tough jobs, but a swarm of bees made their job even harder while fighting a structure fire that broke out Sunday morning. 

Los Angeles Fire Department officials confirmed that the blaze started just before 11 a.m. in the 1600 block of New Jersey Street in L.A.’s Boyle Heights neighborhood. 

“The seat of the fire appeared to be in the crawl space of a living space added on to the back of a house,” LAFD stated. “The fire extended up the wall to the garage of the primary structure.” 

Two garages and a one-story apartment building were also exposed to the flames, LAFD elaborated. Video posted to the Citizen App shows smoke billowing into the clear morning sky.

Eventually, just over half an hour after the fire broke out, 54 firefighters were able to extinguish the flames with no injuries reported. 

“While conducting overhaul operations, firefighters [worked] diligently to protect vehicles in the garage while safely managing a bee swarm on the exterior of the building,” officials said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. 

Thieves dressed as delivery people stole 41 boxes of products from a Planet Beauty warehouse in Costa Mesa on Dec. 11, employees say.

The warehouse manager, Oscar Hernandez, says the estimated retail value of the stolen goods amounts to approximately $80,000.

Surveillance footage captured the theft as it took place within minutes on Wednesday, not far from employees who were unaware of what was happening in broad daylight.

“Tall guys with tattoos on the left arm, what else can I say?” Hernandez recounted to KTLA’s Chris Wolfe. “They were brave.”

The footage shows one man hurriedly packing boxes of high-end goods into a white van with a Carmax license plate.

The suspects have yet to be identified. In addition to what was captured on camera, Hernandez says they had to be strong to move heavy boxes, so easily and quickly.

Victims say the culprits were able to make a few trips back and forth before finally being discovered and chased away.

Hernandez says that he wants their loss to be a cautionary tale for others, especially other companies on overdrive this time of year, selling and shipping all kinds of merchandise for the holidays.

“Just be careful out there,” warns Hernandez.

The business is now distributing flyers, asking for the public’s help in providing information in the case.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Costa Mesa Police.