High power bill spawns drug probe

Modesto Bee ^ | March 28, 2004 | AP

[projectile]

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.

[Asclepius]

In the Dagys' case, however, it was trash day.

What brilliant detectives.

[Reeses]

Coming soon: search warrents for googling certain words.

[Tennessee_Bob]

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

Oh my gosh - my parents are drug growers! They put the trash out every Friday morning. Wait - everyone in their neighborhood is growing drugs.

Oh, man! I put the trash out on Wednesday morning!! I'm a drug grower too! Holy cow! Everyone in my neighborhood is growing them as well!

[Tennessee_Bob]

Did you put the garbage out recently?

[microgood]

Tracking down marijuana growers by reviewing electricity bills, they say, is a common practice.

It's also unconstitutional. That police chief needs to do some time in the slammer.

[Nachum]

What a bunch of maroons....

[Ignatz]

Jack-booted Thug bump

[RickGee]

Hmm. Must not be any murders, rapes, assaults, muggings, violence, car thefts, car accidents, speeding, other property crimes, truancy, penny pitching, betting, spittings on the sidewalk, littering in Carlsbad.

[Ignatz]

Making the Boulder, Colorado detectives look like Einstein's bump.

[Sacajaweau]

Think I'll start putting black pepper near the garbage cans. That drives the dogs nuts!!

[bigfootbob]

I believe a lawsuit against the utility company is in order. I have a 4500 square foot home and my energy bill is double hers in the winter months and 300 bucks during the rest of the year. I have a separate meter for my garage and barn that run 250 bucks a month also, should I be worried too?

[blackdog]

The judge approving the warrant request should be disclosed in this article, as well as the prosecuting dimwit requesting it.

The judge should feel the heat(if it doesn't run the electric bill up too high).

[NewRomeTacitus]

"I have a separate meter for my garage and barn that run 250 bucks a month also, should I be worried too?"

Worried? No. Expect a hassle? Definitely.

[headsonpikes]

Obviously, we cannot judge the acts of agents of the State as if they were just ordinary persons.

All this talk of 'injustice' is misplaced - justice is not a factor, necessarily, in carrying out Government policy.

No one was shot and killed, no houses destroyed - go back to your homes, and be grateful that the Authorities are keeping a watchful eye on threats to Society.

Always, there will be small and insignificant mistakes - even agents of the State are only human, after all.

(/sarc)

[babaloo999]

Well spoken, citizen. If the authorities want to go fishing, then let them.
After all, if you have nothing to hide...........

[SamKeck]

Dina Dagy's family was spending $250 to $300 a month on electricity ...

Hells bells. After California's failed attempt at electric utility deregulation and Brownout Davis' paniced attempt to resolve it by throwing multibillion dollar bond issues down the drain, her electric bill ain't all that high.

And just who at the power company gives the ok for the cops to review my account information anyway? I'm gonna be making a phone call first thing Monday morning to find out cuz those folks and I have the same electric utility service.

[Wolfie]

ping