Preston cannabis farm with 130 plants discovered by Lancashire Police on Moor Nook estate in Ribbleton
A cannabis grow with 130 plants was discovered after police were called to a burglary in Preston.
Residents on the Moor Nook estate in Ribbleton alerted police after seeing men breaking into a home in Burholme Place on Wednesday, October 2.
They reportedly filled a number of wheelie bins with cannabis plants before making their getaway.
When officers attended the home to investigate, they found it was being used to grow a large cannabis crop. Around 130 small plants were seized and later destroyed.
Lancashire Police said no arrests have been made at this stage.
A police spokesperson said: “We were called at 9.23am on October 2 to a house on Burholme Place, Preston, to a report of burglary.
“Officers attended and found a cannabis grow – around 130 small plants - and evidence that the electricity had been bypassed.”
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“Council want £51 to replace my stolen bins!”
One resident was shocked to find three of her wheelie bins pinched by the offenders who used them to cart off as many cannabis plants as they could grab, before police arrived.
She reported the theft to police who advised her to contact the Council with the crime reference number and explain what had happened.
But she says Preston City Council ‘won’t budge’ and are demanding £17 per bin to replace them.
“Whoever was using the house took my bins to empty the plants from there,” she said.
“The police said I should give the crime number to the Council for new bins. But they won't budge on there policy. They insist they want £17 per bin to replace them.”
“It's the second time in 12 months the same house has been used as a cannabis farm. We’ve never seen the landlord,” she added.
The cannabis farmers caused further problems for their neighbours by interfering with the electricity supply. It was found they had bypassed the street’s electrics to get free electricity, leaving residents at risk.
The street was left without power for seven hours while Electricity North West made urgent repairs to the supply.