Police crack down on Lodi Lake arson, vegetation management
LODI — An uptick in fires at Lodi Lake has first responders cracking down on patrols and arsonists. Police arrested five children earlier this month for starting a fire in the bathroom on the north side of Lodi Lake on July 3.
Police said the kids were not just playing with fireworks.
"We are certain there was a malicious intent," said Sergeant Matt Latino with the Lodi Police Department. "It was purposefully started for the purpose of causing damage."
The bathroom structure is destroyed and currently closed to the public until a remodel happens.
"Right now, it is summer. They don't have a lot of things to do activity-wise," said Destinni Chavez, who was visiting Lodi Lake from Stockton. "It sucks that small towns like this don't really have a lot of things for them to get into, so then they get into stuff like that."
Sgt. Latino said having nothing to do is no excuse.
"I don't think arson is a very good response to not having things to do," he said. "There is certainly a lot of onus that needs to be placed on parents and people are responsible for their children as well."
On the same day, another fire sparked on a nearby nature trail.
"We are not sure if that was related, but it could be," Sgt. Latino said.
On July 11, about a quarter of an acre burned in the Lodi Lake Wilderness area. Crews had to use a boat to access the flames on a peninsula along the Mokelumne River.
Sgt. Latino said arson is not out of the question for either of these two vegetation fires.
The City of Lodi is now working to remove brush around the lake to protect the nature trails and nearby homes. City spokesperson Mary Campbell said it is an effort that was in the works before the recent fires.
"The storm earlier this year definitely brought down multiple trees in the back nature area, so we have been working on a plan to clean up that area and get rid of debris," said Campbell.
Lodi police are now boosting patrols and cracking down on anyone who is lighting fires.
Hearing that the one fire was caused by children came as a shock to many parents out at the lake.
"Yikes, I do have a 14-year-old," said Bobby Wilkerson, who lives in Lodi. "We try to keep him in baseball in the sense of not doing stuff like that."
Police are warning parents to keep a better eye on their kids, and if they see something, say something.
"Try and figure out what they are doing, where they are at and who they are with," said Sgt. Latino. "Because sometimes you might not even know what they are doing, and they may be causing fires on the lake and you have no idea."
The Lodi Police and Fire Departments are still investigating if the two vegetation fires that happened this month were caused by arsonists.
Sgt. Latino could not tell CBS13 what punishment the kids who were arrested for the bathroom fire will be facing or if their parents will be charged.
He believes there may still be more kids out there who were involved. If you know anything about any of these fires, contact the Lodi Police Department at: (209) 333-6727 or Corporal Blythe at ablythe@lodi.gov.
You can also contact the Lodi Area CrimeStoppers at (209) 369-2746 or www.369crime.com to remain anonymous. Lodi police ask that you reference Lodi PD Case #23-4511.
