News (Media Awareness Project) - US CA: Illegal Pot Grows Stealing Water And Power, Deputies Say |
| Title: | US CA: Illegal Pot Grows Stealing Water And Power, Deputies Say |
| Published On: | 2008-07-19 |
| Source: | Santa Cruz Sentinel (CA) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-07-22 00:09:53 |
ILLEGAL POT GROWS STEALING WATER AND POWER, DEPUTIES SAY
Six times in the past month, sheriff's deputies have busted marijuana
gardens where the growers were allegedly stealing either water or
power to care for hundreds of pot plants.
Two men were arrested and deputies still are trying to track down who
was responsible for the other grows, none of which were related,
according to Sgt. Steve Carney, who heads the sheriff's narcotics
enforcement team.
He said the rash of utility-stealing pot grows is just a coincidence.
"We've just followed up on citizen tips and we talk with PG&E on
occasion when they receive tips as well," Carney said.
On Friday, deputies went to a house on the 300 block Palmer Avenue in
Aptos where the resident allegedly was replacing the PG&E electric
meter with a dummy meter he had stolen from a construction site so
the extra power he was using wouldn't register on his bill, Carney said.
"His power bill was like $40 a month when it should have been $1,000
a month," Carney said.
The man, Stefan Fisher, 37, eventually admitted he was growing
marijuana and switching the meters, the Sheriff's Office reported.
Deputies found 132 plants in his basement.
A day before, deputies went to a house on the 11000 block of Lake
Boulevard in Lompico where the resident allegedly was bypassing the
PG&E meter to obtain power after PG&E disconnected his electricity
because he hadn't paid his bill, according to the Sheriff's Office.
PG&E estimated the man had stolen more than $2,000 worth of power, Carney said.
Craig MacFaden, 59, of Lompico was arrested on suspicion of stealing
power, cultivating marijuana and destroying evidence, because he
allegedly pulled a wire leading to the power supply and threw it into
the bushes when deputies arrived. He was growing about 400 pot plants
inside and outside his home.
"That was a very sophisticated commercial grow," Carney said. "That
was a nice grow."
Next door, deputies found about 250 pot plants growing inside and
outside the house. Carney said it appeared the residents there had
tampered with the power meter to steal electricity as well, but they
still are trying to locate the people responsible.
In South County on Wednesday, deputies raided two pot gardens where
the growers allegedly had stolen water to feed the plants, Carney
said. One, on Carlton Road and Hecker Pass, had a water line running
downhill from a cattle watering trough to 284 pot plants. At the
other, on Browns Valley Road, the grower had dug a large hole in the
ground and located a supply line to a residential well, which was
being tapped in to feed a small pot garden nearby, the Sheriff's
Office reported.
Last month, deputies busted a garden on Caudill Road that was powered
by an electrical bypass. Carney said the grower had stolen about
$30,000 worth of electricity since 2005. Deputies have an arrest
warrant for the resident.
Six times in the past month, sheriff's deputies have busted marijuana
gardens where the growers were allegedly stealing either water or
power to care for hundreds of pot plants.
Two men were arrested and deputies still are trying to track down who
was responsible for the other grows, none of which were related,
according to Sgt. Steve Carney, who heads the sheriff's narcotics
enforcement team.
He said the rash of utility-stealing pot grows is just a coincidence.
"We've just followed up on citizen tips and we talk with PG&E on
occasion when they receive tips as well," Carney said.
On Friday, deputies went to a house on the 300 block Palmer Avenue in
Aptos where the resident allegedly was replacing the PG&E electric
meter with a dummy meter he had stolen from a construction site so
the extra power he was using wouldn't register on his bill, Carney said.
"His power bill was like $40 a month when it should have been $1,000
a month," Carney said.
The man, Stefan Fisher, 37, eventually admitted he was growing
marijuana and switching the meters, the Sheriff's Office reported.
Deputies found 132 plants in his basement.
A day before, deputies went to a house on the 11000 block of Lake
Boulevard in Lompico where the resident allegedly was bypassing the
PG&E meter to obtain power after PG&E disconnected his electricity
because he hadn't paid his bill, according to the Sheriff's Office.
PG&E estimated the man had stolen more than $2,000 worth of power, Carney said.
Craig MacFaden, 59, of Lompico was arrested on suspicion of stealing
power, cultivating marijuana and destroying evidence, because he
allegedly pulled a wire leading to the power supply and threw it into
the bushes when deputies arrived. He was growing about 400 pot plants
inside and outside his home.
"That was a very sophisticated commercial grow," Carney said. "That
was a nice grow."
Next door, deputies found about 250 pot plants growing inside and
outside the house. Carney said it appeared the residents there had
tampered with the power meter to steal electricity as well, but they
still are trying to locate the people responsible.
In South County on Wednesday, deputies raided two pot gardens where
the growers allegedly had stolen water to feed the plants, Carney
said. One, on Carlton Road and Hecker Pass, had a water line running
downhill from a cattle watering trough to 284 pot plants. At the
other, on Browns Valley Road, the grower had dug a large hole in the
ground and located a supply line to a residential well, which was
being tapped in to feed a small pot garden nearby, the Sheriff's
Office reported.
Last month, deputies busted a garden on Caudill Road that was powered
by an electrical bypass. Carney said the grower had stolen about
$30,000 worth of electricity since 2005. Deputies have an arrest
warrant for the resident.
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