Pubdate: Fri, 09 Nov 2007
Source: Rotorua Daily Post (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2007 Rotorua Daily Post.
Contact:  http://www.dailypost.co.nz/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2785
Author: Abigail Caspari

DOPE PLOT HIDDEN FROM KIDS IN CEILING

Tony Schmidt knew he was buying a "doer-upper".

What he didn't know was that the Corlett St home needed rewiring
because a previous occupant - dope grower Michael Childs - was
stealing electricity to power a cannabis growing operation in the
home's roof.

Neighbours and Childs' children were apparently oblivious to the 400
plants growing in the home, until a police raid in March uncovered the
51-year-old solo father's secret.

Childs is now serving a two-and-a-half year jail term after being
sentenced in the High Court at Rotorua.

He had earlier pleaded guilty to cultivating cannabis and producing
cannabis oil.

Power companies say the practise of electricity theft is
deadly.

In sentencing Childs, High Court judge Justice Hugh Williams said
Childs had put his family at risk.

"You endangered yourself, your house and your family by the way in
which you did it."

Justice Williams noted Childs had told a probation officer he did not
want his children who lived with him to find out he was a "druggie".
Over 30 years, Childs had been addicted to various drugs including
cannabis, heroin and LSD.

He has more than 13 drug-related convictions and had been on and off
methadone.

Justice Williams said Childs had been growing cannabis for three
months.

Mr Schmidt now owns Childs' home.

He bought it as an investment and only became aware that cannabis had
been grown there after taking over the property two weeks ago.

Mr Schmidt was not too concerned about the cannabis but said he was
appalled at the state of the house when he took it over.

There were wires everywhere and he has already to pay $1100 to get the
home rewired.

He has gutted the property which he said was "worse than a pig
sty".

"The kitchen was just falling apart. There were holes in the
floor.

"You couldn't see the fence [at the back of the property] for all the
rubbish."

Neighbours, who did not want to be named, said the house was known as
the "street tinnie house' but they had no clue that Childs was growing
dope in the roof until they saw police swoop on the home.

Genesis Energy public affairs manager Richard Gordon said what Childs
had done was extremely dangerous. "Improper wiring can cause fire,
injury and death. With electricity there is no room for error. We take
a very dim view."

Mr Gordon said there had been a noticeable increase in the number of
people stealing power to grow cannabis at home.

TrustPower community relations manager Graeme Purches said about one
or two people were prosecuted a month for stealing power.

So far this month they have had six cases where power has been stolen.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Derek