Police came to door, should be worried?

[dimyself]

1. If you are in Texas, with their fucked up laws and sentencing guidelines- I'd shut down, clean the house out and give it a few months before starting up again. There have been numerous posts on here how harsh Texas can be on growers.

2. Most likely, they came to your house to see how you'd react, if they could see or smell anything, and observe what you do next. I wouldn't be surprised if your house is being watched, your mail is being read, your phone is being tapped and your neighbors are being questioned. Think about this: The cops telling you to close your garage"?????? Is this a joke or what? In 55 years I've never heard a more ridiculous story.

They are in no rush. They would much rather have you in a conspiracy with others, then in a single grower bust. They are probably checking your power usage, bank and charge card accounts, and watching your movements. I'm not trying to scare you but I've been thru this once before and have everything I relayed to you. Better safe then sorry, especially in Texas.

I know what you mean, it did sound like an excuse... but if they really were investigating a criminal matter (they made it sound like burglary of a neighbor), then they may think its better for me to close garage...the police are like that in my area...

but I see your point. Maybe its time to shutdown

I asked previously...but its ok to keep equipment right?? I could put my pepper plants under the lights and carbon filter I currently have setup and just move my weed somewhere else...?

 

[dimyself]

i agree id stop for a minute there letting u know if course they smelld it u were trimming hell yea they smelled it unless u grow bamber they smelled it out side and knocked on ur door they havent raided yet because they like to build cases against people if u stop when they do raid as soon as they leave start it back up THEYKNOWTHEYKNOWTHEYKNOW

so you're saying if they know, then quit now and dont start back up for awhile because they're watching

 

[alphawolf.hack]

listen man either you wan to grow or not. thats the risk. i dont do anything anymore besides personal. if i get caught its my fault. be smart and you can harvest a 1000 lbs while the cops are watching. be dumb and go to jail for a long time for a 1000lbs. 8 oz int shit and maybe you will do 2 years if they hate you. if they dont hate you pay your fines do your probation save money move to another state and start over. this is a life dedication to some people to others its just for fun and others just hope they dont get caught bcuz they feel they would have to stop b4 they do. i would leave the country. high grade is worth about the same everywhere. to be honest you would probably never know the cops where on your ass unless you have been doing a good job in that case they are just snooping trying to collect evidence. just get rid of everything if your scared of jail or keep doing what your doing if your not.(me personally i will do my time and leave and start over. it sucks but i have dedicated my self to this.it is a genetically engineered plant that has formed a complex symbiosis with humans. its like working with horses or bacteria both have been genetically modified to serve a human purpose and have special traits and characteristics that are deemed valuable)

 

[dimyself]

I havent been doing anything except personal. Only 2 people know other than me, and those 2 people I talk to everyday and they DIDNT SNITCH. So the ONLY way the cops could know is from smell of harvest from being tipped off the same day I was trimming... OR they found out who i was based on packages that came to house. Power bill is also not an issue. I use a total of 1400 watts of elec in lighting in a 3 bedroom house, my bill is low each month.


At this point, I'm really into it, I love doing it and get alot out of it. I don't want to stop, if I'm just being paranoid. If the cops are comin' tho then I want to move my stuff to storage. Can I move all my stuff to storage so they wont know? I can pay for storage with cash or something?

 

[dimyself]

I'm just trying to figure out what I need to keep...get rid of... and what need so move and where to move stuff to

 

[SSHZ]

I've been thru a similar issue before and my advice is to shut down for a while. Knock the room down clean and store the lights and equipment at a friends or relatives garage. Storage won't do because storage run a credit report on you and the cops will also run a credit report to see what charge cards you have so they can supena (spelling) the charge cards for purchases made at grow shops. They will also see the storage business and get a warrant to look inside for equipment and drugs. So, move everything grow related or they'll take it even if you're growing cucumbers- they ain't stupid! Before I was arrested, they waited a few months to gather evidence against me- phone and charge card records, tailed me everywhere I drove to, opened my mail on a daily basis, I could go on and on. Since you're in Texas, it's a no brainer- clean up so you sleep at night and not be consumed by suspicion and worry!

 

[TheGreenHornet]

They showed up the same day you harvested - this happened to me as well.

I can neither confirm nor deny that they "know", but I will tell my story. (I am also in a terribly strict state)

I was trimming up my Jack -hammers with my cousin, I had disassembled my carbon scrub and veg/flower tent walls, but left my light and fans on (pulling the air outside) and my room smelled like a skunk exploded in it, but I live on a top floor and the wind is usually 10-20 mph - so I figure that it would be difficult to smell.

I decided to smoke a victory blunt before we finished our trim, and go to the shop before it closed because my cuz wanted some supplies. Normally I really dont feel threatend, I live in a college town and lots of people smoke weed. *We left the balcony door open, because it was a nice day.

After like 20 minutes we left to go to the store. There was a cop sitting in squad car staring at the front of the building next to mine, just sitting there looking mean. We left to go to 711 and grab a drink so it wouldnt look suspicious (circling the block and coming right back) - and about two blocks away saw the guy in his squad car hauling ass down a parallel street.

We got back to the garden, trimmed up fast, and I sent my cousin north with all 12 zips or so that night. I couldnt sleep for a week and ended up killing my 3 month old mothers, (beautiful Killing Fields F3) taking down my lights dumping my buckets and trash in a dumpster about 2 1/2 miles away.

Cleaned and locked it all up in a closet with a padlock, then took a nice Xmas vacay that I didnt plan on. I tell you what, it really made me grateful to be alive and free there for a month.

I dont know if he smelled the blunt, or the fresh trim, or was there for another reason, but the balcony door stays closed during blunt time from now on. fans will also go "off" during trim in the future.


That was the end of last harvest, right before Xmas that this happened, and im still here with no knock-on-the-doors or other mean mugging so far. There are so many factors that make you say "but what if ____?" Like one time the cops escorted my roommate [drunk and falling all over the place] to our house during the world series and we were smoking up. WHen we answered the door One of them asked "are yall smoking weed?" to which my roommate replied, "no", - he laughed and said "we dont care if yall are smokin, here is this idiot, keep him inside tonight"

Small texas town = nice cops unless you look like a villain. In larger cities in texas it seems like they dont know what the fuck is going on and are more worried about meth, blow, and heroin than they are weed, and rightly so.

I know that I am going to stop growing for now, and come back to it later, possibly when the legislation changes.

 

[curious2garden]

.....snip.......I know what you mean about police watching me, but i'm careful on the phone... and in my neighborhood I would recognize strange cars. It also wouldnt be easy for police to just hide around the neighbors house. And I never see any of my neighbors spying on me through windows or anything.

Again you would not see the surveillance. They often have the electric company or gas company etc....... place the surveillance equipment for them. Also in a state as punitive as Texas do not be to sure about snitching. When faced with serious time and offered an out you'd be surprised who will turn.

Warrants for infrared searches or other secondary evidentiary types are very simple to get. It's less invasive so a lower burden of proof is required.

There are so many states that it is legal to grow in why not move? Why take such a serious risk when you don't have to if growing is important to you?

 

[dimyself]

I'm waiting on a TX lawyer to call back so I can see what he says about that whole thing....

 

[dimyself]

Again you would not see the surveillance. They often have the electric company or gas company etc....... place the surveillance equipment for them. Also in a state as punitive as Texas do not be to sure about snitching. When faced with serious time and offered an out you'd be surprised who will turn.

Warrants for infrared searches or other secondary evidentiary types are very simple to get. It's less invasive so a lower burden of proof is required.

There are so many states that it is legal to grow in why not move? Why take such a serious risk when you don't have to if growing is important to you?

I know I don't know much about it...but how can the elec/utility companies monitor me? My usage is low (in fact all I have running now is a 400w veg light). What kind of equipment can they use other than smart meter?

IR isnt an issue even if they do flow over and scan because it's winter time (so no heat buildup), only running a 400w veg light.

I know what you mean about snitching, but I've been around them alot recently and I have no bad vibes. *IF* something did happen to my 2 friends that know, they would have at least given me a tip off about it in 1 way or another. And they haven't done that.

 

[dimyself]

Again you would not see the surveillance. They often have the electric company or gas company etc....... place the surveillance equipment for them. Also in a state as punitive as Texas do not be to sure about snitching. When faced with serious time and offered an out you'd be surprised who will turn.

Warrants for infrared searches or other secondary evidentiary types are very simple to get. It's less invasive so a lower burden of proof is required.

There are so many states that it is legal to grow in why not move? Why take such a serious risk when you don't have to if growing is important to you?

Moving might be in the future I am a fairly new grower, which is why I'm still growing here for one reason. For 2, I have career, house, etc...

 

[dimyself]

I think what I will do is wait to talk to the lawyer, then either get rid of everything all together or just keep my veg plants and not put them in flower for awhile.

And move everything else out of my house (all weed, lights, tents, etc).

 

[cannabineer]

A lawyer is a good idea... I will start searching.

Honestly, my gut tells me it really was coincidence adn they really were just trying to help... i just want to be paranoid and make sure. BUT...on the other hand, I DONT want to ditch my current veg plants...they are white fire seeds/plants!! dont want to throw away just based on paranoia Maybe I can move my stuff somewhere...

I think if they knew I was harvesting, they wouldve busted me by now, because thats when there is the highest weight... I have all my stuff in jars by now (weighs alot less), so they wouldnt get as much off me now. I know what you mean about police watching me, but i'm careful on the phone... and in my neighborhood I would recognize strange cars. It also wouldnt be easy for police to just hide around the neighbors house. And I never see any of my neighbors spying on me through windows or anything.

It's the Chinese monkey trap ... they catch the monkey because it cannot bear to let go of the treat in the bottle.
You HAVE to assume that they are watching you now, waiting to see if you'll lead them to something else interesting ... but you NEED to assume you're being watched for the next few years. The idea that they didn't smell it is less likely than they did. The price of an arrest in a non-med state is just too high in my estimation ... break it down, White Fire or no ... clean ALL the way up, no weed at all in the house ... and seriously contemplate moving. Unless an all-expenses stay at Club Fed doesn't seem like a bad deal, of course. Jmo. cn

 

[xRenox]

Dim,

I can give you a really good opinion on this with elaborating why. The road cop would only come to the door for that reason, to tell you about the door. You dont need to get rid of anything or stop what your are doing. If that cop took the information back to his department and they would attempt to get a warrant on that.....each state is different on how long the search warrants are good for after they are signed. In texas they have 3 days to execute. So basically if they wanted to get a warrant based on just alone what they encountered they may have 3 days to execute a warrant if the judge thinks they have enough evidence to do one.

As far as your electric goes that watt is not enough to raise eyebrows. Baseboard heat running in the winter uses more than that. As far as your friends go....that is something that only you know. Only one person knows of my garden.......actually two. My wife and my best friend.

Here is a link that may help if you are looking in the area of search warrants and other stuff if you need it. It is about how Texas does the warrants.

 

[scroglodyte]

if they had PC you'd be in jail now, not later. if you have no priors........live dangerously, if you have a sheet already, move the gear.

 

[dimyself]

I dont have anywhere to put lights and stuff because no one knows except 2 people and those people can't take my stuff..

What about just leaving lights/tents, but getting rid of all weed? I understand they might take or break my lights... but they can't arrest me for that right? I mean, if they bust in my door and see the lights but dont find weed, all they can do is bust my house up right?

 

[dimyself]

Dim,

I can give you a really good opinion on this with elaborating why. The road cop would only come to the door for that reason, to tell you about the door. You dont need to get rid of anything or stop what your are doing. If that cop took the information back to his department and they would attempt to get a warrant on that.....each state is different on how long the search warrants are good for after they are signed. In texas they have 3 days to execute. So basically if they wanted to get a warrant based on just alone what they encountered they may have 3 days to execute a warrant if the judge thinks they have enough evidence to do one.

As far as your electric goes that watt is not enough to raise eyebrows. Baseboard heat running in the winter uses more than that. As far as your friends go....that is something that only you know. Only one person knows of my garden.......actually two. My wife and my best friend.

Here is a link that may help if you are looking in the area of search warrants and other stuff if you need it. It is about how Texas does the warrants.

I posted my situation on a DALLAS based forum, and a guy responded saying basically the same thing.....this is what he said (in line with what you're saying): "There must be a reasonable (short) period of time between the Intelligence information collected and the date of the raid. You have Passed that time and - in my opinion, you shouldn't worry."

What is the link? I would be interested...

 

[dimyself]

if they had PC you'd be in jail now, not later. if you have no priors........live dangerously, if you have a sheet already, move the gear.

I have no priors, free as a bird

 

[scroglodyte]

I dont have anywhere to put lights and stuff because no one knows except 2 people and those people can't take my stuff..

What about just leaving lights/tents, but getting rid of all weed? I understand they might take or break my lights... but they can't arrest me for that right? I mean, if they bust in my door and see the lights but dont find weed, all they can do is bust my house up right?

just the weed. equipment is legal.......you're growing basil in the winter......

 

[scroglodyte]

I have no priors, free as a bird

i haven't been able to say that since 1978........