A strange turn of events that started with three guys trying to break into a house and threatening a little kid with a gun eventually led Palm Beach County cops to a home that was allegedly being used as a marijuana grow house.
According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, a 911 call to report a possible burglary brought authorities to the home in the 900 block of Burch Drive in unincorporated West Palm Beach, where the grow house was being used in the garage, unbeknown to the homeowner.
Cops say a child who was in the house apparently spotted three men loitering in the home's backyard. One of the men wore a bandanna over his face, while another held a gun.
The three men then began to demand that the kid let them into the house. When he didn't, the man holding the gun pointed it at him.
The child immediately called 911 and reported the incident, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office says.
Responding officers immediately noticed a strong smell of weed in the house.
Cops followed the smell into the home's garage, which was not so much being used to park cars but more to grow weed. Lots and lots and lots of weed.
According to the PBSO, the entire garage had been converted into a grow house by one Luis Alvarez. Authorities recovered around 75 pounds of pot in the garage.
When questioned, Alvarez said that he was renting out the space from the homeowner and that the owner of the home has nothing to do with the pot and grow house.
Alvarez also admitted to setting up the operation all by himself, police say.
Deputies arrested Alvarez and booked him into the Palm Beach County Jail on marijuana-trafficking charges.
No word on what happened to the three would-be robbers. But, apparently, there's no connection.
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