GROW-OPS TAKE TOLL IN BURNABY

Burnaby property owners are invited to a meeting Wednesday to learn
how to protect themselves and their properties from damage caused by
marijuana grow-operations.

RCMP Const. Phil Reid said between 100 and 400 indoor grow-ops are
located throughout the city, but police don't have enough resources to
begin to deal with them.

To date this year Burnaby RCMP have seized the contents of 124
grow-ops. In April, police seized 4,669 marijuana plants, $34,000 in
U.S. currency and $3,115 in Canadian cash and two vehicles.

Police estimate the average cost of damage done to a home by a grow-op
is $10,000 to $20,000. Most of the damage is caused by water and heat
used in cultivation of the marijuana plants. Damage is also done
during the wiring and venting of the grow ops.

An increasing use of booby-traps by the growers means dismantling a
grow-op can be a painstaking process. Reid said he has seen beds of
nails concealed under carpets and mats, weapons rigged to fire if
doors are opened, and stairs almost cut through to collapse.

The Wednesday meeting is being held at the Confederation Community
Centre, 4585 Albert St., between 7 and 9 p.m.