Paparazzi held near Spears home

Two photographers who tried to snap pictures of pop star Britney Spears from a fire access road on a hillside near her Studio City home were arrested Monday afternoon on suspicion of loitering.

The men were taken into custody after someone called police about 4 p.m. Monday to report that photographers were loitering on city-owned property, which has restricted public access and is blocked by a chain-link fence, said Los Angeles Police Sgt. Ruby Malachi.

Officers told the photographers they were on city-owned property and that they should leave, Malachi said. The photographers said they would heed the warning, but when police returned about an hour later, they were still there.

“They were detained, questioned and eventually arrested before being transported to North Hollywood station, where they were released,” Malachi said.

The photographers were identified Tuesday as Alexandre Passos, 35, of Canoga Park and Eduardo Ravalha, 35, of Los Angeles. They were booked on suspicion of loitering, and Ravalha’s silver 2005 C-20 Mercedes-Benz was impounded.