Pipe bomb found in Modesto-area orchard

Farmland’s proximity to a city makes it more susceptible to illegal dumping, said Jake Wenger.

“It’s a part of country life that a lot of times people don’t understand,” the farmer and Modesto Irrigation District board member said. “When you have farmland that surrounds the city, you get a little different outlook on farming.”

Trash, stolen cars, dogs and cats, the remnants of a marijuana grow – Wenger has found them all in his walnut and almond orchards. On Monday morning, an explosive device was added to the list.

In a Walnut orchard on North Avenue that he sharecrops, one of the owners found a pipe bomb while walking his dog.

The Stanislaus County Sheriff Department’s bomb squad responded and disposed of the device, a PVC pipe a half-inch in diameter and about 6 inches long, said Undersheriff Ralph Ghimenti. Both ends of the device were capped; it had a green fuse and black electrical tape wrapped around it.

No suspect has been identified.

This story was originally published July 14, 2015 at 4:39 PM with the headline "Pipe bomb found in Modesto-area orchard."