(FOX40.COM) — During a community cleanup project, the Modesto Police Department said officers discovered what appeared to be caves near the Tuolumne River that unhoused people were occupying.
Officers and volunteers were conducting a cleanup project near Crater Avenue and Dallas Street, an area police that had been “plagued by vagrancy and illegal camps.”
Police said nearby residents were concerned about the camps, and officers discovered some people had dug into the riverbanks.
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Police said individuals in the caves and nearby encampments were notified of the cleanup operation a week before. Those individuals were offered various services to assist them, police said.
According to Modesto officials, city and state agencies are working to eradicate the caves while implementing safety measures for nearby residents.
City officials said barricades and temporary fencing will be placed near the area of the caves to restrict access. Signage along the affected areas will also be placed to inform people not to trespass.