Cannabis factory found by police after neighbours notice 'strange light' when blind falls down (but not before teenagers break in to steal illegal crop)

  • Neighbours in Hove, East Sussex, alerted officers twice to the flat
  • But in the meantime, four teenagers also spotted the suspicious light
  • They forced the upstairs window open and stole the plants

By Leon Watson

PUBLISHED: 11:53 EST, 11 March 2013 | UPDATED: 02:53 EST, 12 March 2013

Police tipped off about a cannabis factory in a flat were beaten to the crime scene by a group of teenagers who broke in to take the plants.

Neighbours in Hove, East Sussex, alerted officers twice when they spotted a 'strange' light coming from inside the property.

In the meantime, four teenagers also spotted the suspicious light coming from the flat and decided to break in and take the cannabis plants they found inside themselves.

Top-off: Residents in Hove, East Sussex, alerted officers twice when they spotted a 'strange' light coming from inside a property

Top-off: Residents in Hove, East Sussex, alerted officers twice when they spotted a 'strange' light coming from inside a property

Too late: Police scour the cannabis factory for clues - but only after it was raided by teenagers

Too late: Police scour the cannabis factory for clues - but only after it was raided by teenagers

Pauline Herbert, 62, who lives on the ground floor, said: 'I phone the police up on Saturday morning as I noticed something in the flat above me.

'There were all these strange lights, at first I thought it was on fire. There were some youngsters hanging around sat on a wall outside.

'I told them to move on but they stayed and the neighbours opposite told me when I went out they used my front bay window as a step to get to the flat upstairs.

'They forced the upstairs window open and I have debris all over my garden and window. Apparently they then stole about three of the big cannabis plants.

'By the time I came home later one of the neighbours was outside picking up the leaves from the street. The police hadn't arrived so I rang them again and told them what had happened.

'Within a few minutes there were three cars and three police vans, it was like a circus. They were here searching the house until half 11 at night.'

Before police arrived, four teenagers also spotted the suspicious light coming from the flat and decided to break in and take the cannabis plants they found inside themselves

Before police arrived, four teenagers also spotted the suspicious light coming from the flat and decided to break in and take the cannabis plants they found inside themselves

Door-to-door enquiries: Police at the property in Hove, East Sussex, were alerted by residents

Door-to-door enquiries: Police at the property in Hove, East Sussex, were alerted by residents

Mrs Herbert added: 'It has obviously been up there a while as there has been a strange smell in my flat.

'I thought it was my cat doing her business in the house but now I know it was upstairs. I have been feeling a lot better in myself since the weekend and that is probably why.

'What we think happened is that there was a blind or shield up at the window which must have fallen down which is why everyone's attention was drawn to the lighting in the flat.

'It has caused quite a stir here.'

Another neighbour who did not want to be named said: 'There were four boys hanging around on Saturday afternoon, they couldn't have been older than 14.

'They broke into one of the flats and stole some of the cannabis plants. They created a human chain down the side of the house to pass the plants down safely. These plants were big things. The boys were last seen fleeing up the road.'

A Sussex police spokesperson said: 'Police were called to a flat in Hove, on Saturday, March 9, at 2.30pm after reports of bright lights coming from the property.

'Around 40 cannabis plants were found growing inside the flat and these were seized. The premises were made safe by the electricity board. Police would like to speak to any witnesses before they arrived at the flat.'

 
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The brown patch must have happened when the police turned up!!

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I wonder what that brown patch is on the residents trousers ??

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Wonder what that brown patch is on the residents trousers???

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So ONE tax-avoiding 'wealth creator' will actually be accountable to our unfairly imbalanced justice system! Now what about all the others, whose multi-millionaire curtains we still haven't looked behind?

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Those cops look unhappy, lol.

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It's not the taxing they are trying to figure out, It's ALL the lies they been pumping out for a very long time and they are trying to figure out how to save face after all the lies, But the MP who does get a Real change underway will be seen as a Savior, what a world we live in, and with antibiotics becoming useless maybe there will be some serious debates on it now,,, And now because of legislation on cannabis these 14 yr old lads have got hold of some weed,,,who's fault is that. yes legislation fault.

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well those kids probably did that bloke a favour, by the time the police turned up there would of been less plants in there to be done for.

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weed is just the best thing we have on this planet that can grow freely, be used as medicine, (and the none belivers of that have never been baked) cheap and dont forget the benefits of hemp, man we all got to love hemp.. But the reason its not legal is money money money!!!! no privately owned prescription drugs company would make any money and we all know money brings power if your high up the chain! So they make another solution they will still pump you full of pills and say your getting better, with THC in those pills bascially as legal as you will get for pot. I have hope one day someone with common sense has the final say on this subject. Im so stoned right now and im a menace to society writing this message on the internet. take a long hard look and think man

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I'm glad I don't have her for a neighbour.

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has the male resident had an accident in his trousers ? definetly suspicious brown patch. change your drawers man

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