Oxnard police warn of danger after seizing 1,200 pounds of fireworks

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Oxnard police seized an unusually large haul of 1,200 pounds of illegal fireworks in late June ahead of the Fourth of July holiday after finding them in a pickup truck parked on a street in nearby Port Hueneme, officers said.
Officers said they were told June 27 the sales were occurring in north Oxnard and located the truck a day later in the 700 block of Bryce Canyon Avenue, northeast of the Navy base in Port Hueneme. The vehicle was unoccupied, but police found the fireworks when they searched it, according to a news release issued July 3 by the Oxnard Police Department.
Officers said the vehicle was towed and the fireworks stored at a secure location, plus a suspect was identified in the ongoing investigation.
All fireworks are illegal in Oxnard, but calls to dispatchers last year numbered more than 850 in the month leading up to July 4, officials said. An additional 304 calls, emails and messages were received on the department's fireworks tip lines.
Police said that on the July 4 holiday alone last year, they received 340 fireworks disturbance calls during the eight-hour time frame between 6 p.m. and 2 a.m.
Police issued 56 fireworks citations last year, including 31 on July 4. During firework enforcement efforts leading up to the holiday, a little over 1,900 pounds of fireworks was seized from businesses and residents.
Fireworks are a "significant nuisance" to most residents of Oxnard and they can be "extremely dangerous" with a risk of significant injuries, the news release said. The agency said the fireworks land on rooftops and cause fires. They also lead to distress for pets and many people, particularly those with post-traumatic stess syndrome, police said.
Individuals caught using or possessing fireworks are subject to fines of $250 to $1,000.
To report fireworks activity in progress, call the Oxnard Police Department's non-emergency number at 805-385-7740.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Police find 1,200 pounds of illegal fireworks in Port Hueneme spot