Pubdate: Fri, 26 Jul 2002 Source: Kitchener-Waterloo Record (CN ON) Copyright: 2002 Kitchener-Waterloo Record Contact: http://www.therecord.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/225 Author: Cherri Greeno HYDRO ERROR LED TO SEARCH FOR POT IN FAMILY HOME CAMBRIDGE -- As Fung Han and Shiu Ng work to repair the damage done to their door and their pride, police and hydro investigators are trying to figure out what went so wrong. Police officers broke down the front door of the Ngs' Hilborn Avenue home in Cambridge Wednesday morning as Fung Han sat eating her breakfast. Officers put her hands behind her back and told her she was under arrest for theft of hydro. Police and hydro investigators believed the family was hiding a marijuana grow operation inside. But when they searched the home, they found nothing. Now, they are trying to figure out what went wrong in their investigation. On Wednesday, Cambridge and North Dumfries Hydro told The Record they were not the initiators in this case and that police usually contact them for assistance. However, the police warrant used to carry out the search showed that the hydro company contacted police on two occasions. On July 19, hydro officials told police they had concerns that hydro was being tampered with at the residence. Then on Tuesday, the hydro company contacted police and told them a diversion meter, which measures the flow of electricity to the house before it goes through the hydro meter, was set up. They told police the diversion meter indicated theft of hydro. A warrant was obtained and a search completed. "Apparently there never was and there never has been a marijuana grow operation" in the home, said Staff Sgt. Brent Thomlison. "We initiated this because hydro called us." Barb Shortreed, communications officer with Cambridge and North Dumfries Hydro, said an internal investigation revealed hydro officials did contact police in this case. She said a full investigation has been launched to determine "what caused the abnormality," in the home's hydro reading. The data recorded from the meter was "very similar to every other proven diversion we have identified," she said. "There are several factors that we need to identify. We could not comment as to what the reason is." In the meantime, Shortreed said the hydro company is very sorry for its mistake. "It is very unfortunate. We have apologized to the family," she said. "But at the same time there is a problem with pot grow operations" in the region. Thomlison said police have conducted more than 100 theft-of-hydro searches since the fall of 2000. In every one, officers found a grow operation inside. However, Thomlison added, being wrong even once is not acceptable to officers. "We do everything we can to make sure we are more than confident" a grow operation will be found, Thomlison said. When issuing a warrant, police must knock on the door and yell, "Police. Search warrant," before breaking it down. Thomlison said police followed this proper procedure Wednesday morning. But Fung Han Ng, who was sitting in the kitchen of the home at the time, said she did not hear a knock. "They yelled, 'Police,' and then they were all in here," she said shortly after the incident. Yesterday, the couple said they have accepted the apology of the police but are still upset with the hydro company. "They are the ones who started it," Shiu Ng said. "I'm not convinced they will do the right thing next time." Their door has been temporarily repaired but will take four to six weeks to replace. Waterloo regional police have agreed to pay the cost. "I support what law enforcement (officers) have to do," Shiu Ng said. "As long as they do the right thing." - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens