Register-Pajaronian Online
A string of marijuana raids in Santa Cruz County this week uncovered pot growers stealing water and electricity from property owners, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Enforcement Team reported.During the past month, the sheriff’s office NET investigators had received a complaint about power theft occurring at [a] home. The complaint alleged that the owner of the home had “bypassed” the electrical meter to obtain un-metered power after PG&E had disconnected the power due to lack of payment…. PG&E estimated that MacFaden had stolen in excess of $2,000 worth of power by using the “bypass.”
A “bypass” occurs when a person taps into the power-supply line prior to the power entering the meter box, where the meter records how much power is consumed. MacFaden had fastened the “bypass” onto the hot supply wires where they entered the weather head (which is placed on the roof). PG&E officials said that MacFaden could have died or severely electrocuted himself had he touched the energized supply wire while removing the “bypass.”
You know what story you never read about? Someone illegally bypassing electrical power or illegally diverting water to run their home beer brewing business. Once again, the prohibition of marijuana doesn’t make the market go away, it just forces the market underground. Since growers can be detected and arrested based on investigation of power records, growers then find ways of getting un-metered power. And the incredible profits available from prohibition make it worth risking electrocution and fire.
