It was too many appliances, not pot, that police found at Carlsbad home

AP ^ | 3/28/04 | n/a

[EggsAckley]

It was too many appliances, not pot, that police found at Carlsbad home

CARLSBAD, Calif. (AP) -- When police noticed Dina Dagy's family was spending $250 to $300 a month on electricity, they suspected a marijuana farm was flourishing under high-intensity lights inside their suburban home.

What they found when they showed up with a drug-sniffing dog and a search warrant was a wife and mother who does several loads of laundry a day, keeps a dishwashing machine going, has three electricity-guzzling computers and three kids who can't remember to turn the lights out when they leave a room.

"It's hard to believe a high utility bill would be enough to issue a state warrant," said Dagy, who is demanding the Police Department issue a written apology.

Authorities say they have already apologized verbally several times and were only following proper procedures. Tracking down marijuana growers by reviewing electricity bills, they say, is a common practice.

"I understand they feel something isn't appropriate here, but it is very much consistent with how search warrants are prepared," said police Lt. Bill Rowland.

When authorities noticed how high the bill for the Dagy home was, they sent a police dog to the neighborhood, and it reacted as though it had smelled drugs.

They also noticed the family had put its trash out that morning, something police say drug growers often do to hide the evidence. In the Dagys' case, however, it was trash day.

When officers returned on March 19 with a search warrant, Dagy was volunteering at her son's second-grade class. She was heading back to her car when police arrived at the school, and she returned home and let them into the house.

They found nothing illegal, and she says she feels fortunate she wasn't in her son's classroom when they arrived.

"I would have been so embarrassed," she said, "and my son would have died: `They're taking your mommy away!'"

Copyright 2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved.

[EggsAckley]

My electric bill in January was over $600. It has now dropped down to under $300. Wondering if the narcs are monitoring MY electric usage.

[Sir Gawain]

I feel safer already.

[tbpiper]

Wondering if the narcs are monitoring MY electric usage.

You might want to ditch the VW bus and turn down Country Joe & the Fish.

[Cicero]

My kids never turn off the lights, either.

[Old Grumpy]

Your bill was $600?? Good Lord!

[Hardastarboard]

So if a high electric bill is probable cause, how about having a lot of credit card debt? How soon before living in a Republican district is cause for a search warrant, since you must have committed a hate crime if you're a Republican?

[EggsAckley]

It's an all-electric, large house, and during Christmas time a lot of power gets used by guests and extra cooking. Plus it gets very cold during that month and all I have is a fireplace and space heaters.

Mea culpa! I waste electricity! Oh, and besides all of that, the cost of power in my area is unbelievably high.

[Frank_Discussion]

Well, he didn't say he wasn't growing pot, eh?

[ Running Away! ]

[Husker24]

They should need a warrant to get your utility info, this is BS.

[.38sw]

Police noticed the electric bill was $250-$300 a month, higher than surrounding homes. They noticed that the family put the trash out that morning, a common practice of drug growers to hide evidences.

So, how did the police happen to notice the electric bills? Did they just go on down to the local power company office and ask for a printout of the bills of the locals? No warrant needed? Just a little fishing trip?

[EggsAckley]

I agree totally.

[JoeSixPack1]

$600 ?? Holy Moly!! You might want to invest in something like the below link.

http://www.generatorsales.com/order/GHS7000.asp?page=GHS7000

This is just one i happened to find on a quick search to illistrate whats avail. I don't endorse it at all but the concept is the best. Find one you like. :-)

[Husker24]

Dont familys normally put the trash out in the morning, or the night before? I know I do. These cops must be desperate for something to do.

[microgood]

Most pot growers in the Northwest that get busted had bypassed the meter and connect the lights before the meter (underground) to avoid detection.

In any case, they should need a warrant to look at your utility bill.

[Griptilian]

They also noticed the family had put its trash out that morning, something police say drug growers often do to hide the evidence.

I flush the toilet right after I defecate.
Will the local SWAT team storm my house because drug growers "blast a dookie" in the same manner??

[Old Grumpy]

Don't take my shock the wrong way. I live down south and can hardly imagine using that much electricity, however, you explained it very well.

[Husker24]

Maybe they got a warrent to look at the bill after they saw them put the trash out in the morning......lol

[Stu Cohen]

The cops review your electric bills. Ain't the War on (Some) Drugs great? You asked for it, you got it folks.

Think it's bad now?

Wait until they outlaw tobacco smoking altogether.

Millions of new targets. Billions of new revenue.

[.38sw]

I expect a lot of people put it out the night before, because oftentimes the trash collector comes by pretty early in the morning. Plus, if you put it out in the morning, it's just one more chore to do before dashing off to work. I've put it out in the morning occassionally, however, when I've forgetten the night before that it's trash day. So, if I put the trash out in the morning, it's just possible I'm a drug grower, and need to be under surveillance.