California cops are watching power meters.

[EasyBakeIndica]

Oakland police raid nets marijuana, pirated movie DVDs​

OAKLAND — A fast-spinning power meter and a strong odor led to the seizure by police of more than $30,000 worth of marijuana and 960 pirated movie DVDs from an East Oakland four-plex, authorities said Saturday.

No one was arrested in the Friday afternoon raid at the apartment in the 2500 block of 109th Avenue. But Sgt. Bob Crawford said police have clues as to who was growing the marijuana and manufacturing the DVDs, which included copies of first-run films and pornography that were sold on the street for $3 to $5.

Crawford said the raid came about thanks to the efforts of Officers Tim Scarrott and Francisco Romero who are members of the squad he supervises and is a good example of community policing.

He said the officers have been doing foot patrol work around the Foothill Square Shopping Center at 107th Avenue and MacArthur Boulevard to combat a rash of strong-arm robberies and street drug dealing in the area.

While looking for possible drug stash sites, the officers were at the apartment complex and first noticed the PG&E meter was "spinning a mile a minute" an indication of excessive use of electricity that is common in marijuana grows, Crawford said. The windows of the upstairs units were covered but the officers smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from inside.

They obtained a search warrant which was served about 3 p.m. Friday.

Crawford said the two apartments contained 300
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marijuana plants in various stages of growth and 10 pounds of packaged product.

He said there were lighting and ventilation systems inside the apartments for plant growing.

Besides the already completed pirated DVDs. police found equipment that could make as many as 20 at one time, Crawford said.

Officers also found clothing, bedding, food in a refrigerator, a television and DVD players indicating someone was also living in the apartments as well.

Crawford said power to the two apartments was shut off by PG&E because of the potential fire hazard caused by overloaded circuits.

Crawford said public records show the apartment building is owned by a Richmond woman who purchased it in 2005 for $778,000. He was not sure if she was aware of what was going on at the apartments and attempts to reach her Saturday were unsuccessful.

http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_11860879​

For the record- this is more of an issue for those who live in apartments and condominiums (Anywhere that has publicly accessed power meters). If you live in a private home, you should build enough curtilage around your property to keep any officers away from your meter.

 

[FreedomFGHTR]

I was just about to post this exact story.

Well they committed more than one FEDERAL crime... hrrmmm I wonder who is going to run with this case. Feds or Alameda county... my bets are on the feds.

 

[79towncar]

Probabily feds b/c of the dvds. They didn't arrest anybody tho... I wonder how they are going to? If that lady says that she leased the apartment to a few men and the names on the leases are fake. Well then.... I wonder how they would prosecute that?? anybody got any ideas on that?? Maby fingerprints?? God i would love to see that thrown out of court for lack of a suspect haha.

 

[THCV]

it wasn't just the meter. if it hadn't smelled, i doubt they would have been able to get a warrant. but it makes me happy that my meter is checked wirelessly...no cops ever see it, just the meter guy from the curb, and he never even comes inside the gate.

 

[BobbleheadJed]

The smell will stand up as probable cause for a search but I'm curious if the spinning meter is enough for probable cause. If that hasn't been challenged hopefully it is done here. Although now that it is "legal" for your house to smell like pot perhaps that should also be challenged as enough evidence for a search warrant? They could have been patients. Great article that exposes all kinds idiosyncrasies about the law.

FeedomFHTR, I think your right the feds will take it. Pirate DVDs I would think gives them the excuse they need. I think it was a smart NORML lawyer that once advised a forum to never break more than one law at a time. Don't have pot in your car while speeding was his first example. Seems like a very good idea.

 

[SB7]

Why would anyone combine maryjane and DVD pircy under the same roof.
Just asking for trouble getting the MPAA involved.

 

[robotwithdreams]

I wonder if they actually really smelled anything at all. I would love to see a defence lawyer demonstrate in such cases how the smell would almost be impossible to detect due modern carbon filtration systems, which lets say it was being utilised when the cops supposedly smelled something. That would only leave the meter, which could be anything. someone running a hairdryer in the bathroom(1500 watts).while preparing breakfast, coffee (1000 watts) microwave (600 watts) .THrow in doing a load of laundry (600-1000w), with a tv in the kids room. Already at this point, which mind you occurs in millions of households across the U.S., the meter would be "spinning a mile a minute". So that initail visual confirmation of high elec usage by some dumb pseudo fasict pig makes millions of households suspect and elgible for home invasions by the state.

The point being, take extra care of the odor issues. And with a good lawyer this kind of bullshit should not stand in court. Some would be surprised how good cannabis with low odor compounds can be, sometimes just as potent as the funkiest bud.
You dont have to run the skunkiest widow in highly congested areas , like many city dwellings.

 

[pugnacious]

I know this area. Place looks like a 3rd world country. 109th / Mac arthur is a strait slum that is a known drug spot for decades. On top of that. Everyone there smokes bud. So every resident would have made the dog confirm a smell for marijuana.


I have my box on the side of the house right in the front of the side gate to my backyard. Guess ill be trying to figure out how to move my fence closer to enclose it.

 

[SKUNK420]

The smell will stand up as probable cause for a search but I'm curious if the spinning meter is enough for probable cause. If that hasn't been challenged hopefully it is done here. Although now that it is "legal" for your house to smell like pot perhaps that should also be challenged as enough evidence for a search warrant? They could have been patients. Great article that exposes all kinds idiosyncrasies about the law.

FeedomFHTR, I think your right the feds will take it. Pirate DVDs I would think gives them the excuse they need. I think it was a smart NORML lawyer that once advised a forum to never break more than one law at a time. Don't have pot in your car while speeding was his first example. Seems like a very good idea.

the smell and the fast spinning meter are maybe small probable causes. i would like to think they had to go back to the station and do some research. like find out who lives their first. next call the electric company and get the name on the account then run it for prior pot or drug crimes. check the past electical usage for at that address, interview neighbors for traffic patterns etc.... its too easy to just say "hey judge i smelled pot and the meter was spinning fast give me a search warrant". but then again all they really need is a punk ass snitch to just say he/she bought pot from that address or people who live there. in the end i think those are small pieces to the puzzle that we all have to keep in check. fast spinning meter by itself no big deal but combined with other pieces of the puzzle ie:smell, controlled buy, records etc... get you screwed.

oh yeah the wireless or digital meters can be data logged much easier. you'll never know when they are watching you. with data logging they can tell exactly when electrical items turn on and off. it might cost them some money to do it but it is 100% possible.

edit:found this in the next post i read after writing the above, but a perfect example of the b.s. and REAL CHANGE to come.

A heads up for Nevada folks.

Reno Gazette Journal

 

[Betty's Boy]

I seriously doubt they saw or smelled anything, rather someone snitched to save their worthless hide..!

 

[bterzz]

The titled scared the shit out of me

 

[de Toke-ville]

I seriously doubt they saw or smelled anything, rather someone snitched to save their worthless hide..!

Think you're on to something my friend.

I thought right away: foot patrol noticing the meter running fast? Bullshit!

A snitch IS probably the most logical answer--I mean how stupid can you be to be running a serious op in a 4-plex unit--serious mental deficiency there.

If this is a regular foot patrol area, I could believe they smelled something. After all anyone running an op on real estate such as this could very well be dumb enough to run ventilation w/o a filter.

But the meter thing is strictly to make folks like us paranoid, period.

-dTv

 

[dongle69]

...But the meter thing is strictly to make folks like us paranoid, period.

Bingo!

 

[EasyBakeIndica]

Actually, many of the 'anonymous tips' that report suspected grow houses don't come from prying neighbors. They often come from private employees at the power company. Do you actually think the police are going to give up a confidential source if they don't have to???

IMO - You're much more likely to get busted for power usage, then by FLIR. Since, evidence obtained by FLIR has been thrown out of court, and it's use has been strictly defined by the supreme court, law enforcement would rather rely on "tips from the community".

 

[EasyBakeIndica]

Another Example:Florida Cops

Another Example:Florida Cops

"The investigation started two months ago with an old-fashioned tip.

Those types of leads became more valuable after the U.S. Supreme Court in 2001 restricted the use of thermal imaging, one of law enforcement's more advanced investigative weapons. Such devices threaten Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches and seizures, the court ruled.

Law enforcement also has found another tool: the electric company. Growing marijuana indoors requires heat lamps and massive amounts of power.

Some dealers steal electricity; others just pay the massive bills. Either way, they risk detection.

"I've seen electric bills at some of these locations that run $400 to $500 a month," Alfonso said."

http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/article982639.ece

 

[Amstel Light]

. If that hasn't been challenged hopefully it is done here. Although now that it is "legal" for your house to smell like pot perhaps that should also be challenged as enough evidence for a search warrant?

Thats a great argument lol!

" I know this area. Place looks like a 3rd world country. 109th / Mac arthur is a strait slum that is a known drug spot for decades. On top of that. Everyone there smokes bud. So every resident would have made the dog confirm a smell for marijuana. " quote by pugnacious.

So in my jaded mind the cops prolly busted them cause they were not receiving bribes/payoffs for the porn piracy operation? If the whole block burns and grows why go after them?

 

[Hazelnut]

..."I've seen electric bills at some of these locations that run $400 to $500 a month," Alfonso said."...

http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/article982639.ece...

Only $400 - $500 / month. HA!

My solar panels aren't just good for the environment, but, my privacy too.

I highly recommend them if you can.

Nothing beats getting a check from the power company.

Especially after I have paid them for so long.

 

[Oliver Pantsoff]

They're not gonna arrest anyone. That sucks though. Couldn't imagine getting 10 of em taken, and my whole set up raped by the police. I know the guys that had that set up are sick at the stomach right now<<<

OP