<p>Aquinnah police have been investigating a late August discovery of 20 marijuana plants on a Sheriff’s Meadow property off Lighthouse Road.</p>
Aquinnah police are investigating a late August discovery of 20 marijuana plants on a Sheriff’s Meadow property off Lighthouse Road.
A Sheriff’s Meadow employee called the department August 22 to report the discovery of marijuana plants on the conservation land located off Lighthouse Road, according to a police report by Officer Steven Mathias. The land is a wooded and swamp lot and the only access to the property is a right-of-way path owned by five different people.
On the west side of a tennis court a “clearly visible and well-traveled path into the woods” led to a dead end where about 20 marijuana plants were found enclosed by plastic fencing. The smell was strong and consistent with marijuana, the police report said, and the plants were in a swampy, muddy area that is difficult to access. The Sheriff’s Meadow employee said the property was last checked sometime over the winter.
The marijuana plants, averaging about five feet tall, were in plastic pots and “appeared green and healthy,” the report said.
Officer Mathias wrote that there was at least one set of distinguishable foot prints on the path and in the fenced area. When police later revisited the site, brush and tree limbs were blocking access to the path.
The Aquinnah police worked with Wampanoag Tribal Ranger Curtis Chandler to install a motion-activated trail camera, the report said. The camera was placed pointing toward the path, the police report said, and they camouflaged the camera and covered their footprints.
Two days later the police department confiscated the marijuana plants, and the plants were secured at the Aquinnah Police Department “until they can be destroyed,” a report by Aquinnah Police Officer David Murphy said. The report added that the police department was pursuing leads, including camera images, in the ongoing investigation.
Aquinnah Police Chief Randhi Belain told the Gazette Tuesday that the police department is still investigating the case but they have a pretty good idea about the identity of the marijuana gardener. Anyone with information can call the Aquinnah police department at 508-645-2313.
Comments
Big deal, these guys look
kelly etBig deal, these guys look like loosers, proud of ripping up plants. get a life.
If you're going to try to
Elizabeth VHIf you're going to try to insult the police department, learn to spell first, "loose"r.
Wow they really saved the day
bri paWow they really saved the day. Somone might have smoked that and laughed and ate a little to much. Thank god for those police officers now instead of this man smoking what he grew he will have to buy some. They really took a bite out of crime..
Love the professionalism of
Cody GrayLove the professionalism of the backwards hat on a police officer.
He's a good guy and a great
PH MVHe's a good guy and a great cop, for the record. The way they wear their hats does not reflect on their professionalism at all. As a military man you should know its not how polished your boots are, it's how you perform your duties and the manner at which you go about them.
I wouldn't say he's a great
jj obI wouldn't say he's a great cop. he is a ranger or something.
Some day, police activity
tom hodgson wtSome day, police activity like this will be regarded as a sad waste of time and money, and a relic of the days of prohibition.
I hope that no one gets
JimI hope that no one gets arrested. This is silly.
Really????
bobReally????
Looks like a safari trophy
BillyB OBLooks like a safari trophy hunt photo. Seriously, in this day and age what a waste of police resources.
Woohoo, now go out and arrest
Beth McElhiney Easthampton MAWoohoo, now go out and arrest all of the drunk drivers and heroin dealers and really do your job! Jeez 20 plants does not make a front page story...
Bummer man
CheechBummer man
Who cares? Marijuana will be
BernardWho cares? Marijuana will be legal soon. Must be a slow news day on the Vineyard. I am surprised Brian Cioffi wasn't in the picture too.
Bullet proof vests and even
Jimmy P Gay HeadBullet proof vests and even SWAT type. Thank GOD we have these tough looking dudes working while we peacefully sleep at night!
They are Police Officers
Katama Kid MVThey are Police Officers kelly....you should be pleased they are doing their job.....you're the one that needs a life....and several years of English grammar and spelling.
There are other, far more
tom hodgson wtThere are other, far more important jobs for the police to be doing.
I wonder Tom....if some punk
Katama Kid MVI wonder Tom....if some punk waisted on that pot slammed his/her car into you or yours...would you sing a different tune then? The police did their job. Someone reported a criminal act...and they acted appropriately. I can see the headlines if they ignored it and took no action.
Yes... They should really be
Stephen EdgartownYes... They should really be making sure that Moshup doesn't kill anymore whales! (Maybe even keep an eye on the Japanese while they're at it?) Or perhaps they should be at a Flying Elbows show instead of making sure your child doesn't end up in a cage in someones basement? It's their job, regardless, and you should show more respect for these guys for doing what they were hired to do. Especially if they've spent time overseas...
That's our tax dollars at
WhiskersThat's our tax dollars at work. It's too bad that that's the only thing they have to do up there.
Good Job Guys.
Jason Gruner ChappyGood Job Guys.
Pot/Grass/Weed/Reefer etc needs to be kept out of young persons hands. It is very harmful to them in school and development in social situations. It needs to be regulated like alcohol consumption. We can no longer ignore the destructive nature that the drug has on young people.
martha's vineyard. living in
john burton vermontmartha's vineyard. living in the dark ages and proud of it.
These guys are just doing
Alex EdgartowmThese guys are just doing they are paid to do.
Marijuana is far from the
Marg AquinnahMarijuana is far from the worst drug the island is dealing with in this day and age. However, my sister and brother were both hard core druggies and guess what? They started innocently with smoking weed every day. By the way, my sister is dead. She got weed laced with PCP...and it was a rapid downhill drop from there. At least if marijuana
were legalized it could be regulated and purity and consistent potency could be assured.
Pot and a nude beach! Sounds
Maggie VermontPot and a nude beach! Sounds like fun!
criminal justice system
mohair west tiscriminal justice system notwithstanding, one really has to wonder about the time, resources, money that went into this effort and whether they might be better used on more serious public safety risks and threats.
Bullet proof vests?? Are our
MaryJane Oak BluffsBullet proof vests?? Are our tax dollars going to that? I think the plants should be destroyed in a community bonfire!
So let me get this straight,
TJ Mackey EdgartownSo let me get this straight, some of you are actually concerned with their bullet-proof vests?? So if they had gone to remove these plants and one of them got shot and killed by a drug dealer because they were not wearing a vest, would you be the same nice person praising the death of an officer in defense of your precious weed?? How dare you comment on how a police officer protects himself, his famiy and his community... here on Martha's Vineyard or in New York City. These are the same guys who would come to your rescue you if you were in trouble. You should be ashamed of yourself by even thinking about commenting about the officers and the jobs they do, simply to make a political weed point. Pathetic.
Thank you! My thoughts
TCThank you! My thoughts exactly. Maybe since its Martha's Vineyard the cops shouldn't carry guns either to protect themselves. People are ridiculous.
First, the cops were just
John Somewhere-in-the-Middle, USAFirst, the cops were just performing one of the duties that they were hired to do. They may have even gotten some good experience with some newer technology---the motion sensing camera. But did they capture anybody besides a bunch of plants? If police resources are stretched so thin, as we are told during annual budget negotiations, is it possible that these resources could have been used more effectively? I'm thinking so. It might also have been wise to skip the photo opportunity for this "bust". It just seems a bit "over the top", does it not? I hope they were not posing for this shot on "company" time (LOL).
Well done guys, I love how
Dan EdgartownWell done guys, I love how mad all these pot heads are getting. Hilarious!
If this idiot didn't set up a
TC AquinnahIf this idiot didn't set up a grow site on public property it wouldn't have been an issue. If you read the article, Aquinnah pd didn't go looking for it. So maybe the lesson should be, next time you want to grow some pot, do it on your own property. Instead people will bash the cops for doing their job.
You are making unfounded,
tom hodgson wtYou are making unfounded, speculative assertions.
Firstly, this is Martha's
Sasha VHFirstly, this is Martha's Vineyard and yes this IS a story worthy of our little once a week newspaper. Secondly, if there were a story about the fact that the Police Department knew about the crop and did nothing for fear of wasting tax dollars only to wait for a more serious crime to result when some wacked-out pot head tries stealing someone else's buds everyone would be in an outrage-so I give Kudos for a job well done.
Oh thank God, the citizens of
Dani CTOh thank God, the citizens of the Vineyard can sleep more soundly and safely now that those plants have been confiscated! LOL
If the police did not do
Eggsamewich Oak bluffsIf the police did not do there job you would complain anyone who put a negative comment in here your all a bunch of potheads obviously , funny how when the police do there job you insult them and when they don't you insult them , the problem with all of your stupid comments is none of you have any respect !! Grow up.. Sorry they took your crop away, NOT!! Get a life!
The only reason people
Anonymous Vineyard HavenThe only reason people respond so rudely is because most of those responding have had a run in with the Police due to their own criminal ways. The Police are there to due their job.
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