Pubdate: Tue, 22 May 2007
Source: Press-Enterprise (Riverside, CA)
Copyright: 2007 The Press-Enterprise Company
Contact:  http://www.pe.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/830
Author: Melanie C. Johnson, The Press-Enterprise
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?115 (Marijuana - California)

INLAND POT GROWERS HIJACK ENERGY

Recent raids on suburban homes-turned-pot-farms uncovered crimes of 
another sort related to marijuana cultivation -- energy theft.

It didn't compare to the estimated $60 million to $80 million street 
value of the more than 14,000 marijuana plants netted in several 
raids Friday at Inland area homes, including three in Corona.

However, the suspects -- seven arrested so far -- allegedly stole 
more than $30,000 worth of electricity per home over several months.

The stolen power went to fuel 1000-watt sun lamps, power box 
converters, industrial-sized air purifiers and wall fans needed for 
indoor cultivation, according to Investigator Juan Zamora, a 
Riverside County Sheriff's Department spokesman.

The names of the suspects have not been released and the 
investigation continues, he said.

Tom Boyd, a Southern California Edison spokesman, declined to comment 
on energy theft, citing a company policy intended to protect ongoing 
investigations.

He did provide a copy of Edison's energy-theft program overview. It 
lists identifying and investigating energy theft, enforcing laws and 
preventing customers from paying the cost of lost revenue among its 
objectives. Energy theft totaling more than $400 is a felony, 
according to Edison.

Gordon Taylor, head of the Drug Enforcement Administration office in 
Sacramento, said his agency has raided 50 indoor marijuana-growing 
sites in Northern California in the last year or so.

In every instance, the suspects had tapped into the power lines and 
bypassed the meters, stealing $3,000 to $4,000 worth of electricity 
per month per home, Taylor said.

"There are a number of people in California who don't view marijuana 
as a very serious drug, but you have to look at the big picture," he 
said. "It's not just about use."

Taylor said the trend of indoor pot farms started with Vietnamese and 
Asian organized crime rings in British Columbia, Canada. Those 
operations have been duplicated in Northern California by similar 
groups and are now trickling south, he said.

Most law-abiding residents don't want marijuana sites in their 
neighborhoods, so they watch for such signs as people avoiding 
contact with neighbors, sealed blinds and trash cans not out on 
pick-up days, he said.

"The community can have a direct impact by staying tuned in," Taylor said.

Anyone with information or leads can call the Riverside County 
Sheriff's Department We-Tip line at 800-472-7766 or 951-955-6384. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake