Property damage reported at Lake Girardeau Conservation Area

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Property damage at Lake Girardeau Conservation Area has law enforcement officials seeking information on the perpetrators. A fire damaged a picnic table, pavilion and signs on the area last week according to Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) Resource Forester Marty Calvert.

“A visitor was driving through the area and called my office to report the incident and that he was putting out the fire himself,” Calvert said.

Thankfully, the visitor was an area fire chief with experience in putting out fires, Calvert said, or the whole pavilion could have been destroyed. He also said there were ATV tracks in the snow on the area and officials would like to speak with the ATV riders to determine if they may have seen anything suspicious.

Calvert encourages anyone with information on who may have caused the damage to contact their local conservation office or the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff’s Department.