CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake Police Department is asking for the community's assistance in being on the lookout for people responsible for dumping recreational vehicles.
Over the last several months the city of Clearlake has experienced a significant increase with regard to motor homes and travel trailers being left abandoned in residential and business areas, according to Lt. Tim Celli, Clearlake Police's acting chief.
“We believe some of this increase is a result of abandoned marijuana growing operations and increased enforcement related to Code Enforcement efforts,” Celli said.
Celli said these trailers are being left on the side of the road, sometimes blocking roadways and driveways.
He said the city has found that it is extremely difficult and costly to remove these vehicles after they have been left abandoned.
The law does allow for these vehicles to be towed, however it has proven difficult to find tow companies willing to tow these vehicles, due to the storage and costs associated with disposing of these large vehicles, Celli explained.
In some cases tow trucks are not equipped or rated to tow some of these recreational vehicles. Other companies capable of towing these vehicles have submitted bids to tow these vehicles in excess of several thousand dollars, he said.
Oftentimes these vehicles are left without any license plates or registration information to track registered owners. In other situations, Celli said registrations have been transferred numerous times, leaving a lengthy trail of previous owners and making it difficult to prove who was responsible for the vehicle.
Celli said the city of Clearlake is researching several different options and cost-effective ways for dealing with the vehicles that have been left abandoned.
“In the meantime our department is asking citizens who see anyone engaged in dumping recreational vehicles or any vehicles to call our dispatch and report it at the time of occurrence. We need the community's help to combat this issue,” Celli said.
He said there are very few exceptions which allow police officers to make arrests for misdemeanor offenses that occur outside the officer’s presence, making prosecution of misdemeanor crimes difficult.
However, if citizens see persons engaged in illegal dumping activities and are willing to be witnesses, the case can be sent to the District Attorney's Office for prosecution, Celli said.
If a citizen reports suspicious or illegal activity and the police can catch suspects in the act, then the crime could be determined to have occurred in the officer’s presence and a citizen’s arrest may not be needed, according to Celli.
Call the Clearlake Police Department Dispatch at 707-994-8251, Extension 1, to report suspicious activity. Callers may remain anonymous.
Police ask for help in preventing recreational vehicle dumping
- Lake County News reports
- Posted On