Man Arrested After More Than 1,000 Guns Found in Bel-Air Home During Investigation Into Selling, Manufacturing of Weapons

A man was arrested after more than 1,000 guns were recovered from a Bel-Air home Wednesday during an investigation into the illegal selling and manufacturing of weapons, officials said.

Girard Saenz, 57, of Los Angeles, was arrested on suspicion of distributing, transporting, importing, selling, or lending an assault weapon, the Los Angeles Police Department said. LAPD and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives officials were conducting a joint investigation when a search warrant was served at the home on the 100 block of North Beverly Glen Boulevard at about 4 a.m., police said. Aerial video from Sky5 showed federal agents and police examining thousands of guns laid out in a courtyard area of the home. The property is in an upscale area of multimillion-dollar homes. LAPD Lt. Chris Ramirez said the guns are of all makes, calibers and models, and that more than 1,000 rounds of live ammunition were also recovered from the home. The weapons will be itemized and booked into evidence, the lieutenant said.

“This is a big stash,” Ramirez said. “It’s beyond comprehension that somebody can have so many weapons in a residence like this, in a neighborhood like this.” He added that the incident appears to be isolated and that there is no threat to the public, but the weapons could have ended up in the wrong hands. Video showed officers taking a bearded man in dark clothing into custody outside the home. Public property records for the address being searched indicate it’s a five-bedroom, 8,200-square-foot home that last sold in 2001. Its value is estimated at more than $7 million, according to real estate website Redfin.com. The home is owned by Cynthia Beck, who has three daughters with J. Paul Getty’s son, according to public records. It is unclear whether Beck is connected to the investigation. Rabbi Chaim Mentz with Chabad of Bel Air said his synagogue is in the same neighborhood that was the scene of a massive law enforcement raid Wednesday. “I grew up in Brooklyn. I’ve seen a lot of things. I’ve never seen stockpiling this big,” Mentz said. He added that he recently met with worshippers after the deadly synagogue shooting near San Diego and discussed ways congregants can secure their homes from gun violence. He believes incidents like these puts everyone further on edge. “You don’t want this in your backyard,” he said. Police said Saenz is being held on a $50,000 bail.