SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A man appeared in court Wednesday for a string of fires at one home in the San Diego community of Stockton, but neighbors don't think his arrest will be the end of it.
Since June, San Diego Fire-Rescue has been called out to a property on K Street 11 times. Over the weekend, firefighters were called out twice, deeming the property a total loss after a fire on Saturday.
Walking by the noticeable damage is Valerie, a Stockton resident.
"I mean I've grown up here all my life and we've never had this happen before," said Valerie.
The home is now red tagged but before it was Valerie watched incident after incident unfold.
"I've seen them board it up, take it down, then break down the door, it'd get boarded back up and they just keep breaking it in," said Valerie.
During Saturday's fire, firefighters confirmed to 10News that squatters have been in and out of the property.
The city of San Diego also confirmed it has an open code enforcement investigation on the property, but said it cannot comment on it because it's ongoing.
A neighbor detailed in a complaint to the city that transients have been in and out of the home.
Neighbors 10News spoke to said they've been reporting the issues for months with no relief.
San Diego police arrested 52-year-old John Ely shortly after Sunday's fire in connection to three of the fires at the property.
Inside the courtroom, Ely pled not guilty.
The prosecutor said the man caught on a neighbor's security camera matched the clothing Ely was arrested in.
"The defendant did identify himself in the surveillance video," said the prosecutor.
Ely has a long criminal history in San Diego dating back to the 1990s.
The prosecutor added that Ely was under community supervision at the time of the alleged arsons and had a felony warrant out for his arrest.
While the judge ordered he won't be released anytime soon residents say they worry about the squatters and the home's close proximity to the neighborhood elementary school.
"It worries me a little because if they're doing this, I mean what makes you think they won't do this at the school," said Valerie.
The city of San Diego said that this home will remain red-tagged until the property owner works with the city and a structural engineer to get this property back up to code.
