Long arm of the law catches up with burglar who fled drug ‘factory’ house with cannabis plants
James Law (centre) jailed for burglary after breaking into this house in Churchill Road, Wisbech, where police found a drugs 'factory'. Picture: CAMBS POLICE/ARCHANT - Credit: Archant
Police spent most of a Sunday in August bagging up 355 cannabis plants from a house in Wisbech after neighbours called police to a suspected burglary, a court was told.
Churchill Road Sunday August 23 where a large police presence was seen affter a burlarly. A cannabis factory was discovered. Picture: IAN CARTER - Credit: Archant
The call went in at 1.40am and when police arrived, they unlocked the ‘secret’ of the Churchill Road house.
So large was the discovery – the cannabis was spread around 11 rooms – that at one stage, part of the road was closed off to allow police search teams to do their job.
Police also caught 21-year-old James Law fleeing the scene and at Peterborough Crown Court he admitted burglary and was jailed.
A second man, aged 20, awaits trial for two counts of burglary.
Churchill Road Sunday August 23 where a large police presence was in attendance since the early hours. Picture: IAN CARTER - Credit: Archant
The court heard that police caught Law – and the second man – running from the house with cannabis plants.
After a short foot chase, both men were arrested on suspicion of burglary.
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The pair were later charged with burglary and Law, of no fixed address, was also charged with a further two burglaries in Clipston Walk and Flore Close, both in Peterborough in July.
He was also charged with the theft of a Mercedes, driving without a licence, and driving without insurance.
An early morning call to a suspected burglary in Churchill Road, Wisbech, led police to the discovery of a substantial cannabis factory with 355 plants growing across 11 rooms Picture: CAMBS POLICE - Credit: Archant
Law was already on court bail after being charged with conveying a list A article, namely cannabis, into prison earlier in the year.
He was jailed for two years and six months at crown court on October 20; he was also disqualified from driving for 27 months.
DC Tessa Munro, from the Acquisitive Crime Team, said: “Thanks to information received by a member of the public we were able to catch Law in the act. I would strongly urge people to report any suspicions to us as they are the eyes and ears of our communities when we can’t be everywhere.”
Cambridgeshire Police said at the time that when they arrived at the house on August 23, they were forced to call for specialist back-up after inadvertently stumbling into a ‘treasure trove’ of illegal drugs.
An early morning call to a suspected burglary in Churchill Road, Wisbech, led police to the discovery of a substantial cannabis factory with 355 plants growing across 11 rooms Picture: CAMBS POLICE - Credit: Archant
“We found a substantial cannabis factory with 355 plants growing across 11 rooms within the house,” said a police spokesperson.
“The plants have a potential yield value of up to £170,000.”
At the time of their arrests police said an investigation into the production of cannabis is “ongoing”.
An early morning call to a suspected burglary in Churchill Road, Wisbech, led police to the discovery of a substantial cannabis factory with 355 plants growing across 11 rooms Picture: CAMBS POLICE - Credit: Archant
