Burglary blows cover of illegal pot grow hidden in warehouse, California cops say

A botched burglary revealed an illegal pot grow inside a warehouse to authorities, California police reported.

Three men, one armed with a pistol, targeting the warehouse mistakenly broke into a business next door at 3:12 a.m. Aug. 2, the Milpitas Police Department said in an Aug. 18 news release.

Realizing their error, the men stole cash from the register and fled, police said.

In the course of investigating the break-in, officers discovered the illegal marijuana grow operation next door, police said.

A police raid Aug. 7 “uncovered a large-scale illegal grow operation in the process of being dismantled,” officers said.

Officers recovered more than 800 marinjuana plants, along with hazardous chemicals, cultivation gear and cash, police said.

They arrested two people inside the warehouse and three others trying to leave the area, police said. They face charges of sale and transportation of marijuana, conspiracy, operating a drug house, and forging of drug prescriptions.

Milipitas is about a 45-mile drive southeast from San Francisco.

This story was originally published August 20, 2025 at 10:51 AM with the headline "Burglary blows cover of illegal pot grow hidden in warehouse, California cops say."