Man in His 70s Arrested For Allegedly Running Marijuana Grow House

SAN LEANDRO, CA — At 2:45 in the morning Sunday, neighbors in the 15000 block of Wengate Street were awakened to the sound of gunshots and a vehicle speeding off.

Investigating officers found a Hispanic man, believed to be in his 70s, walking away from the area of the shooting. With the assistance of a K9 team from the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, police searched the man’s home and neighborhood for additional suspects and possible victims, but did not locate any. What they did find caught their attention - several hundred marijuana plants in various stages of growth.

The man was arrested. His name has not been released.

The main power to the house had been bypassed, creating a dangerous situation. A PG&E crew responded and disconnected the main power to the residence.

“Often, homes like this are difficult for police to detect. We rely on information from the neighbors, who often report suspicious activity, which usually lead to the arrests and the seizure of illegally-grown marijuana,” stated Lt. Robert McManus. “It is equally as important to notify police with your suspicions, as homes that have bypassed PG&E power, like this house did, often catch fire unexpectedly, posing an immediate threat to neighbors and the community."

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Armed with a search warrant, police found:

• $500 worth of processed marijuana ready for sale
• $10,000 worth of mature marijuana plants

Narcotics investigators estimate that the illegal operation was capable of producing approximately $150,000 of illegal marijuana annually.

Police also found several spent bullet-shell casings near the home, which will be analyzed to determine if they were fired from a pistol used in any other reported crimes.

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Detectives are asking that anyone with surveillance video or other information regarding this case to contact them at (510) 577-3230.

--Image via San Leandro Police