HAVILAH, Calif. (KERO) — It's been over a month since the Borel Fire tore through Havilah, causing widespread destruction. Now residents here are having to deal with another risk — looters.
- Many residents were displaced in Havilah after their homes were destroyed or damaged by the Borel Fire. Several residents have reported that thieves are taking advantage of the this diminished presence.
- The Borel Fire went through Havilah on July 26, 2024.
- The Borel Fire burned roughly 60,000 acres.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
“Careful, all kinds of stuff around,” said Carol Davenport, who owns property in Havilah.
Davenport is showing me around her property in Havilah, home to vintage equipment she tells me her stepfather loved to restore.
“So these were basically how you would move an airplane without having to start it,” Davenport said, motioning to the WWII-Era airplane tug located on her property.
The Borel Fire destroyed her house and most of the vintage equipment.
“That was beautiful. He had the stickers. It was just awesome,” Davenport said.
Not all of it was destroyed, like this vintage air compressor from 1914.
“He got it all running and painted it up, custom made a trailer for it, and he would take it to Havilah days and run it. You see the smoke coming up.”
However, Davenport says this past week, parts were stolen from this air compressor.
“I know for a fact that right there where the three connectors are used to be an oiler or an oil pump, and that is, of course, going to be very hard to find and replace.”
The license plate and a water pump were also missing from the compressor, and there are other signs people were looking through the belongings on her property.
“The fire did not get to the motor of that truck in the front of the cab, but now somebody has raised them and started poking through,” Davenport said, “Honestly, the looting makes me feel like it's salt in the wound, insult to injury. Haven't we been through enough in Havilah to just have people come up here and strip our properties now too?”
Multiple residents in Havilah have reported having items stolen from their properties.
Lori Meza, a Public Information Officer for the Kern County Sheriff's Office, said in an emailed statement:
“The Kern County Sheriff’s Office is aware of the recent thefts occurring in the Havilah area. In response, we have increased patrols during both day and night hours. Additionally, all deputies are required to respond to calls for service in the Havilah and Walker Basin areas and make in-person contact with residents.
We encourage the community to remain vigilant. If you see any individuals who are unfamiliar or acting suspiciously, please do not hesitate to contact the Sheriff’s Office.
Your cooperation is greatly appreciated as we work together to maintain the safety of our community.”
“There's very little that didn't burn throughout. So, yeah, it hurts,” said Davenport, “Maybe, you know, like before the fire, they didn't have as much value, but after the fire, sometimes you just cling to some of the things that remain.
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