I been gone for awhile, but since i’m back I want to share a funny story…..well it’s funny now!
About two months ago the local chief of police called me. He said, “I sorry Jeremy but you are gonna have to go board up your rent house in the morning” Instant panic set in as I asked what was goin on.
He calmly informed me that my model tenant was having his placed stormed by the police as we spoke. He continued….”we know he is cooking meth in the place and have to do this” It was not a matter of getting my consent, it was more a courtesy call since I know many of the local officers.
The next morning I called a couple of the guys and had them meet me at the rent house and assess the damage. All windows in the house were broken and both doors had been rammed open and needed replaced. There were two stoves in the living room and the one I had put in the house in the kitchen. The interior of the house was trashed.
This guy had never once been late on rent. He never asked me to fix anything. When I would do a drive by the grass was always cut. I am digressing……
After all was fixed cleaned and painted we noticed that the toilet wasnt working very well at all. I made a decission to pull the toilet since all snake efforts were not working. Now it gets good……
As me and one of the guys were lifting the toilet into the tub we dropped it and it cracked the bottom. I said to throw it away and go get a new toilet. The guy said that we should finish breaking it and see what was clogging it up. I agreed.
We took the toilet outside and carried it around to the back of the dumpster. Set toilet in back of dumpster and smack it with sledge hammer.
There was a big white rock blocking the toilet. I called the police and after convincing them to come get it instead of me bringing it to the station….for obivious reasons….they told me it had a street value of 20K was the guess.
That is the only time I have ever wanted to sell drugs…just that once….half price sale!
October 17th, 2009
Jeremy and Lisa
Was there ever any doubt?
Replies
That is a good story!
One thought...if they were cooking meth in the house, you might want to
have it tested to see if there are residual chemicals in the paint, drywall etc.
Read a story recently about a family that moved into a house and started
getting sick, and found out it had been a "crack house"
I heard about that a bit late.
We have looked for someone to test it.
The house is occupied and have had no ill effects to date.
I do ask the tenantsOctober 17th, 2009
Jeremy and Lisa
Was there ever any doubt?
Is that the date set for your wedding?
Yes it is.October 17th, 2009
Jeremy and Lisa
Was there ever any doubt?
Congratulations! Guess you'll be spending less time on the computer...
I havent been on much at all since trying to get out house done.
October 17th, 2009
Jeremy and Lisa
Was there ever any doubt?
I just realized that your wedding date is my oldest son's 18th birthday.
<!----><!----><!---->
I refuse to accept that there are limitations to what we can accomplish. Pete Draganic
Take life as a test and shoot for a better score each day. Matt Garcia
Chances are good they flushed a whole lot of chemical waste down your toilet too. Meth manufacture creates barrels of it and they need to get rid of it the easiest way possible. You're lucky if you have public sewer hook up if not, and your on septic, then your going to have a big hazardous waste /ground water contamination issue headed your way sooner or later.
It wasn't waste....it was Meth. It is public sewer.October 17th, 2009
Jeremy and Lisa
Was there ever any doubt?
Once had a rental (a double) with a young couple on one side. Nice people, never any problem with them. Stored the ladder for cleaning out the gutters in their basement, and the few times i needed access to it the young man was always eager to get it for me. i suspected something funny, but didn't have any real reason to pry.
They split up and eventually left, and when i went into the basement discovered additional outlets installed out of the fusebox (he was an electrician's apprentice) and grow lights laying around. Nothing of 'organic value' though.
As an aside, i had a lawyer draw up the rental agreement i typically used when crack was the big target drug in the 90's. He specifically included a clause that no tenant could use cocaine. i laughed when i saw it and wondered if that meant other drugs were permissable. He said it was a CYA clause that might help in court if authorities tried to confiscate the property as a crack haven, since laws were very specific about crack at the time. You might want to include something about meth for similar reasons. Especially if it's already happened once on your property.
Edited 9/28/2009 7:11 am ET by shtrum
Hindsight is always 20/20.
I wonder about these stories about 'model tenants' and their dope houses. I really do.
I've had the misfortune of having lived near several, and the neighbors ALWAYS know what's going on. If nothing else, the continuous traffic, at all hours of day and night, make for unhappy neighbors. Likewise, the police are constantly there, as one doper tries to stir up trouble for another. In every instance, neighbors have complained to the landlord, and the police, many times, to no avail.
Then, when you do evict the doper, the next tenant you hire will most likely be in cahoots with them. I don't care how you screen them, ther always seems to be a steady stream of patsies ..... a few days later, and the party resumes.
The key, of course, to these problems is the landlord. Leases have definite terms, and you're not under any obligation (in most places) to renew. You also have the right to inspect the property on a regular basis.
But, no ... that's too much work. Most LL's seem to think their duty ends when they cash the rent check.
Indeed, I even had one LL resist evicting his 'ideal' tenants, denying there were any problems. I told him that the police were there, at that very moment, taking the crime scene tape down after cleaning up two bodies from an altercation. I was not exaggerating, either. I managed to get the LL to come and see for himself - and it still took over a month for him to get them out- even though local law allowed for much quicker evictions in matters of 'safety.' But, hey, they were good tenants - always paid on time, and no one complained. Too bad everyone else was moving out of the building .....
My former GF (may she rest in peace) used to assert that LL's were 'in on it,' happy as long as they 'got their cut.' To her, all LL's and property managers were crooked, dishonest, lying, corrupt scum. (Do you sense that maybe she had a bad experience once?) As much as I disagreed with her, darn if that hasn't been the case a few times.
I love how it is my fault that someone was making meth in my building.
No neighhbors complained and traffic wasnt heavy, im guessing this guy didnt sell to just anyone.
My places are not in the ville or the hood or any questionable parts of town. His background check and credit check were good 4 years ago when he first moved in.
I inspected before renewing the lease each time.
I'm not sure what caused the downfall.
This guys very first time being arrested was the night they stormed his house.
Thanks for assuming I am a slumlord that doesnt care........that must be why I have a waiting list of people who want to rent my places.October 17th, 2009
Jeremy and Lisa
Was there ever any doubt?
If they are smart, the grow houses/meth factories are kept separate from the sales operations, thereby making for very little traffic.
That's the way the grow ops here were, nice houses in upscale neighborhoods, well maintained, with very little traffic in/out, so that no suspicions were raised.
It isn't your fault that the guy was cooking meth in your house. But it is your responsibility to get it tested for residuals and not wait for the new tenants to get sick. The damage to children is permanent.
In some locales it is a fourth class felony to knowingly sell a building that has had meth produced in it.
"In some locales it is a fourth class felony to knowingly sell a building that has had meth produced in it. "
I agree with that law, unless the buyer was informed in writing on the disclosure, in which case the buyer assumes the risk of the purchase. Personally, I will be getting future house purchases (assuming I make any) tested because I don't trust people selling houses.
I assume that law pertains to housing that has not been reconstructed which includes drywall replacement and such.
If recalled correctly the article said something about it's creation being done as a way to help combat the epidemic of meth production.
Edited 9/29/2009 6:38 am ET by rez
I'd like to digress a bit here, because I assume we all want to be good citizens, etc.
While we all 'know' that we have a "First Ammendment" guaranteeing the right of 'free speach,' we may not know a few details about 'prior restraint.'
"Prior restraint" is when the legal system acts to prevent a law from being broken, or harm being done. This is exceptional in our country; nearly all our laws only take effect after they've been broken.
In matters of 'free speach,' prior restraint was once invoked only in cases of confidentiality, where publishing secrets would cause harm by destroying that secrecy. More recently, it has been successfully applied to the internet on the topic of making meth. It seems that the government thinks it can restrict the circulation of recipes, etc. this way.
It's a pity, because how is the concientious LL or neighbor going to know meth is being made if he is denied knowledge of how it's made? Then, if you look at the 'precursor' chemicals the authorities warn about, and prosecute over ... well, I have nearly every one of those 'precursors' in my home, as does everyone reading this article. Things like rubbing alcohol, baking soda, and antifreeze, for petes' sake. Heck, I even have a lava lamp!
Despite court actions to remove meth recipes from the internet, there are still plenty out there. While most have some minor technical flaws - try them, and they won't quite work as claimed - they are close enough to the 'real thing' to give the innocent enough information to make an educated guess.
I encourage all to run down these recipes, so that they can recognize such activities before they get out of control.
How do I know this? A fair question. The first is that there's not much to the chemistry, and you only need a few courses to be able to work it out. Secondly, as I alluded to earlier, I have unfortunately had to deal with a few such operations over time. As with a good song, once you know how it goes, you only need to hear a few notes to recognize it again.
My former GF ... (Do you sense that maybe she had a bad experience once?)
Do i see a connection there?"Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
i don't even know where to start on that.
so i'll sum it up real easy for you.
do you think i really want some lowlife drug dealer in my 100,000.00 house that i have worked and paid for, so i can get his 600 a month!
why don't you ask bstcarpenter how much profit he made on his house for the next five years while he recoupes what he spent. oh yea thats right he was in on the deal.the older i get ,
the more people tick me off
Thank you for stating the obivious on my behalf.October 17th, 2009
Jeremy and Lisa
Was there ever any doubt?
you did not pass on making 10 k, you pass on five to ten at the big house
Your right! Indeed!October 17th, 2009
Jeremy and Lisa
Was there ever any doubt?
I was gonna say, 5 to 10 as the new girl on D block.
I really believe you get catch selling meth, they need too shoot you in the head, right there, on the spot.
You might have a future as the dictator of a place like Congo or Burma.
just a problem solver that can get the job done
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
"Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"
is Burma warm, dont like snow
Burma is warm and the food is great.
bring ice in lieu of TP and never ask, "what's this" for you may not like the answer....
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
"Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"
As part of my wide and varied experiences as the worlds most exciting man I went to a local cat show on the weekend. I had never seen a Maine Coon Cat. You could have friends round and still have leftovers.
And I hear the shaves are close, too....You are always welcome at Quittintime
Just as an FYI, there is a register the DEA holds online where "some" properties are listed where law enforcement have found chemicals or items indicating the presence of meth labs.
However, the following statement was made regarding this... "Upon activation of the Register, concerns were expressed to legislators regarding the accuracy of the information and the lack of specific rules not only for how properties are to be listed, but also how listings can be appealed and/or removed. Although not incorporated into the Act (Methamphetamine Remediation and Research Act of 2007), the House and Senate committees that approved the original bill urged the DEA to develop a set of 'transparent' procedures for both listing properties on, and removing listed from, the DEA Register."
So... you may want to check your rental address to see if it's popped. Could become a headache for you.
http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/seizures/index.html
So much for the meth labs looking like meth labs.
Here is the only hit that is close to me:
View Image
Not exactly what I would expect a "clandestine laboratory" to look like.
Jon Blakemore RappahannockINC.com Fredericksburg, VA
heh, my Ohio nowheresville backwoods county has 21 hits.
But the city of Akron in Summit County takes the cake with 140.That's just the city, not the whole county.
Edited 9/29/2009 10:47 pm ET by rez
Pretty deceiving, eh? The nice houses are great camo.
There was a house about 40 miles or so from me that was in a real nice neighborhood, run of the mill pseudo-McMansion... until the police raided it. The tenants tore the living #### out of the house to make it into a major-league grow house. They cut holes through the floors/ceilings for ventilation, illegal wire taps, etc. Trashed the place.
I think the cops busted them via thermal imaging from a helicopter. Grow houses, unless very carefully insulated, glow like a Xmas tree. I've seen a picture of what one looked like... stood out from ALL the neighbors with the heat signature.
consune a lot of electricity too....
as in a lot...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
"Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"
I once bought some cupboards out of a medical building that was being demolished.
In one of the cupboards was a 2 litre bottle labelled 10% cocaine. .Them solutions is lmeasured by weight. 2L= 2kg, 10% = .2kg, ergo equalling 200gm of medically pure cocaine. that's just a tad shy of 1/2 lb for all the metrically challenged folks out there.
.2 kg x 2.2kg/lb=.44 pounds eh?
Thought about 2 seconds and turned it in to the project mgr. Oh did I get chastised by various folks for that decision. (including the folks I turned it into.)
Too bad you cannot get a tax credit for making these ethical decisions eh?
But go the other way, to the dark side and put the stuff on the market, and the penalties would be entirely disproportionate.
Funny how this works.
War on drugs? Hey, just what rewards are there for the plebes. Not too freakin many eh.
Eric in Calgary