Possible Grow-OP next door. WWYD?

FF

Last evening my neighbors came to my door asking if I had seen anyone around their house. Long story short, according to them, their house had been broken into this past Thursday as well as the Friday before it. During their account of the break-ins though, their story seemed to not make much sense. The one neighbor (house owner) didn't even seem to remember/realize that I've seen him around, almost every other day when he told me that he had been out of town for a long stretch of time while his friend (tenant) had been living there. I'm not home during the day so I told them I hadn't seen/heard anything.

This morning as I was leaving my house I noticed they had put up plywood over a few of their windows. I found this a bit suspect as none of the windows appeared to be broken, and one was even a second story window. I came back about 20 minutes ago to find them loading up a van that I had never seen before with a bunch of trash bags, as well as heavy gauge copper wiring (big coils). The bags were in the shape of lights (big trapezoid looking fluorescent lightboxes) and possibly some round ducting?

I'm pretty damn sure they were at least running a small-time grow-op, got robbed, and are now moving it all out.

I'm also pretty fucking pissed. I don't like being lied to, or at the least, being taken for a fool.

I've thought about calling the police to see if/what they'll do, however, I also live in Oakland, CA. Not exactly a tough-on-weed type of city. There's also the chance of causing tension between my neighbor and myself. For example, a person near my parents house was busted for running a grow-op out of his house (when it caught FIRE). He was out of jail the next day.

Still, I'm fucking pissed.

Should I just leave it alone, considering they're moving the operation/equipment out? Or should I try and get them busted? Is it even worth it? Honestly, I think part of why I'm so pissed is that in the back of my head I don't think calling the cops will do anything other than make my neighbor hate me.

Edit: It looks like they're leaving now, wonder if they'll be back for more trips.

TychoCelchuuu

If by "WWYD" you mean what would I do, I would stop worrying about some stranger lying to me (who cares?) and stop getting bent out of shape over how the drug laws aren't as harsh as I want them to be (especially because there are just as many people who would prefer the laws to be less harsh). Maybe when these guys start selling smack on the street corner or something, you'll have a good reason to be mad, but as it stands all they've done is board up their windows and put lights into a truck.

ddahcmai

If you call anonymously and tip off the police I don't see how your neighbors could possibly link that to you and create tension. It's up to you though.
The legally correct answer though, is for me to say yes, if you suspect illegal drug production is taking place next door, then you should call it in.

FF

TychoCelchuuu wrote: »

If by "WWYD" you mean what would I do, I would stop worrying about some stranger lying to me (who cares?) and stop getting bent out of shape over how the drug laws aren't as harsh as I want them to be (especially because there are just as many people who would prefer the laws to be less harsh). Maybe when these guys start selling smack on the street corner or something, you'll have a good reason to be mad, but as it stands all they've done is board up their windows and put lights into a truck.

I never said I was bent out of shape at the drug laws being soft. I'm actually ok with that.

And yes, I don't have concrete evidence that it is a grow-op, but I've been through houses that were and I've seen the hardware. Like I said, it's Oakland so it's not exactly like hardware stores aren't selling whole kits. This place was a grow-op and I'm not ok with is a grow-op next door in a residential neighborhood. His house could have caught fire, my house could have caught fire, the random people coming over to his house at odd hours (you can't tell me everyone coming over was on the level).

And, just a basic lack of respect for their neighbors. If they hadn't of come over with some half-assed story to try and see if I saw anybody (I and I think they, suspect a former tenant/friend of theirs or neighborhood kids from a public housing unit nearby) I wouldn't have given a second thought or look at anything about their moving all this stuff out now. Not to mention that now, their house has been broken into by someone. This shit tends to go in waves and I don't want anyone thinking that my house might be a good target since they got away with one break in in the neighborhood.

VisionOfClarity

I mean, personally, I'd call the cops and tell them what I saw and what I thought was going on and I'd leave it at that. Unless you know who the landlord is, if you do I'd do the same thing with them,

Thanatos

Just to double-check: you're upset because your neighbors don't go around telling all and sundry that they're running a grow op in their house? If I had neighbors running a grow op, personally, I wouldn't want them blabbing around town about it.

Like you said, they're moving it out, so why worry about it? Plus, you're in Oakland; if you're only next door to one grow op, that's practically an anomaly.

FF

Well, I'm starting to calm down and think a bit more level headed like.

I'm not upset that I didn't know, obviously they'd not go around telling anyone. I'm upset that they thought it was a good idea, given what almost always happens with these grow houses. They either get broken into, or bad wiring burns the place down or they get some shady character coming over that ends up shooting the residents. These things never end well, and I don't like that there was a very real, personal safety issue 15' away from my house.

But, you're right, they seem to be at least moving the operation out. I hope they move out as well, they park like idiots.

I guess more than anything I just needed to rant and cool off.

admanb

FF wrote: »

Well, I'm starting to calm down and think a bit more level headed like.

I'm not upset that I didn't know, obviously they'd not go around telling anyone. I'm upset that they thought it was a good idea, given what almost always happens with these grow houses. They either get broken into, or bad wiring burns the place down or they get some shady character coming over that ends up shooting the residents. These things never end well, and I don't like that there was a very real, personal safety issue 15' away from my house.

Wouldn't that be what almost always happens with the grow houses that you've heard of?

FF

admanb wrote: »

FF wrote: »

Well, I'm starting to calm down and think a bit more level headed like.

I'm not upset that I didn't know, obviously they'd not go around telling anyone. I'm upset that they thought it was a good idea, given what almost always happens with these grow houses. They either get broken into, or bad wiring burns the place down or they get some shady character coming over that ends up shooting the residents. These things never end well, and I don't like that there was a very real, personal safety issue 15' away from my house.

Wouldn't that be what almost always happens with the grow houses that you've heard of?

Sure. But I've heard and seen more than a couple.

1. Next door.

2. The house 2 doors up the street from my parents, upper-middle class neighborhood. House caught on fire, fire department finds the entire basement filled with plants, bad wiring was to blame.

3. House up the street I looked at buying. Toured the place saw evidence of a grow-op. Turns out there was an altercation, police were called, found the operation. Also, found out that the house was bought at over $700k and due to the damage from the grow-op the house was now being listed at $300k with at least $200k in damages to repair.

4. Another house I looked at. Basically the same situation as #3 but the original owners had died and their kids had taken over the house. Thousands of dollars of mold damage. House went up for sale after one of the kids was busted for possession and ran from the cops.

5. Another one on the news not too long ago. I believe this one involved someone getting shot.

I'm ok with the idea of small time grow-ops, or like 1 or 2 plants for personal use. But anything more than that should be treated like farming or any other commercial business. They should be in commercial zones, with proper wiring and proper security.

Anyway. I've gotten the help I needed in this thread. I've calmed down now and I no longer want sweet, sweet retribution inflicted unto my neighbors. Edit: They're moving a bunch of clothes out and assorted things now. It sure looks like the owner kicked them out. I can't help but be pleased by this.

If a mod wants the discussion to keep going I'm cool with that, or lock it. Either/or.

Awk

I think you'll be ok.

As7

I don't have anything against weed, but indoor grow operations are a pretty bad thing for the neighborhood for a few reasons:

1. They fuck up the houses structure. Mold becomes a huge issue in these homes and there are other dangers as well.
2. They adversely harm the neighborhood when they inevitably become abandoned.
3. Someone else living in the building gets sick because these places are filthy.

That alone is enough for me to get a little pissed and at least tell my neighbor to cut it out and that it's not a good idea.

There are plenty of other places to grow ones weed.