On Monday, March 11, 2013, deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff's Department Southwest Station responded to a report of trespassing and vandalism at the unmaintained dirt road extension of Pauba Road, just south of the intersection with SR 79 South, in the unincorporated Rancho California area of Temecula. This property belongs to The Dorland Arts Colony, and has historically been mistaken for Bureau of Land Management (BLM) controlled land and utilized by the public for target shooting. Noise complaints and high volumes of refuse left at the location prompted the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, Dorland Arts Colony, the County of Riverside, and BLM to conduct extensive research which confirmed the affected area belonged to the Dorland Arts Colony.

The Dorland Arts Colony has recently taken steps to notify and educate the public that their property is not available for target shooting, and the public is not permitted on the property without express prior consent from the Dorland Arts Colony. They have erected signage (No Trespassing signs), placed barriers at access points, and taken steps to remove refuse and props left in the area by shooters. In response to the Dorland Arts Colony's efforts, unknown persons have continued to trespass on the land, shoot holes in the signs, and remove barricades.

On March 11, representatives from the Dorland Arts Colony found a spray-painted sign on the property which bore a specific threat to shoot the people responsible for cleaning up the property and removing items left there by target shooters, along with new bullet holes in the trespassing signage. The Riverside County Sheriff's Department is actively investigating this matter as a felony criminal threat, and various items of evidentiary value were recovered from the scene.

The Riverside County Sheriff's Department would like to remind the public that entering these private lands or being present on these lands without the property owner's consent, as well as discharging a firearm there, are all violations of the property owner's rights and are enforceable violations of California Penal Code section 602 and Riverside County Ordinance 10.12.010. The Dorland Arts Colony has expressed an interest in maintaining their privacy and solitude on Advertisement

[ The Tutoring Center ] the property. As such, applicable laws will be strictly enforced and violators will be subject to arrest.

Members of the community and firearms enthusiasts are encouraged to find and utilize lawful venues to pursue target shooting. Anyone having information related to the threats made against Dorland Arts Colony, or other vandalism and trespassing occurring at the property is encouraged to contact Lieutenant Matt Aveling or Sergeant Steve Fredericks of the Southwest Station at 951-696-3000.

previous press release posted 1-23-13

The Riverside County Sheriff's Department would like to provide education to citizens of the Southwest region of Riverside County, in order to preserve the rights of property owners and firearms enthusiasts alike. The purpose of this public announcement is to provide information and education in reference to a common location utilized by recreational gun owners for target shooting within the Southwest region.

The location is an unmaintained dirt road extension south of Pauba Road, at the intersection of lower State Highway 79 (See Attached Map). The dirt extension leads to an area utilized for recreational shooting. Historically, this has been perceived as an area located on land under the authority of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The public has utilized this area to target shoot believing their activities were being done lawfully on BLM controlled land which allows for public access and the lawful discharge of firearms.

The public should be advised the Southwest Station has conducted extensive research into this matter based on noise complaints from citizens in the area. A cooperative effort between BLM, the County of Riverside, Dorland Arts Colony and the Riverside County Sheriff's Department has revealed through Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping that the area currently utilized is situated on private property. Furthermore, entering onto the lands from the roadway violates private property owner's rights, in violation of Riverside County Ordinance 10.12.010 and California Penal Code 602.

Members of the community should take this opportunity to educate friends and family members about the above-listed information to avoid unintentionally participating in unlawful behavior. If you need additional information on this topic, you may contact Lieutenant Matthew Aveling of the Southwest Station at 951-696-3000.