Molotov Cocktails Found in Trash Bin

A janitor emptying a 50-gallon garbage bin at the West Park Community Center on Sheridan Way on Monday evening found four Molotov cocktails--glass containers rigged with wicks and filled with flammable liquid, Ventura police said.

“He found four large beer bottles filled with what appeared to be gasoline,” said Lt. Brad Talbot of the Ventura Police Department. “Rag was used as a wick.”

Such devices can be lit, then thrown, possibly igniting the gasoline and causing a small explosion or a fire. The janitor, who was not identified, had checked the same container earlier in the day and did not see the devices at the time, Talbot said. There were no suspects in the incident.

“We did have a call about a Molotov cocktail in the morning at a different location, but when officers responded they didn’t find anything,” Talbot said. “We are checking now to see if possibly these were the same [devices].”