Police link Lodi men to at least five burglaries

It began last week when two Lodi residents captured two burglary suspects on their property and held them at gunpoint until Sheriff's deputies arrived.

The case continued when Lodi Police detectives served search warrants at the suspects' homes and seized 80 pieces of property, including guns, computers, financial documents and possible bomb ingredients.

"These guys have been busy," Detective Ken Slater said Monday of three suspects now in custody.

Police believe they have linked Kenneth Samuel Cotraro, 35, of Lodi, to at least five local burglaries.

Cotraro and Richard Dean Davis, 35, also of Lodi, were arrested Tuesday morning when two Lower Sacramento Road residents found the men in a shed, according to the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Department.

Later that day, deputies met with Lodi detectives to compare notes on the property recovered when the two men were arrested.

Lodi detectives then searched Cotraro's home in the 1200 block of South School Street and found what they believe was property stolen during several business burglaries.

They also found neo-Nazi paraphernalia, a gun and a sword, along with a mix of gunpowder and various ammunition that bomb experts said are typically used to make pipe bombs, Slater said Monday.

Police also found several computers, printers and financial documents that had allegedly been stolen in several Lodi burglaries. In the garage, they found a large $2,000 laser printer, which matched one stolen in an April burglary at Blue Shield, according to police.

Detectives then served another warrant in the 700 block of Lincoln Avenue on Friday, where they arrested resident Clinton Earl Irons, 28, on suspicion of possession of stolen property and counterfeiting.

All told, police seized property valued at more than $7,600, including five computers and a number of printers, as well as two swords and two guns.

Police linked the property to five burglary cases, Slater said. Some items taken in the burglaries, including a large doll collection and other computer accessories, are still missing, he said.

Contact reporter Layla Bohm at layla@lodinews.com.