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M10
03-07-2010, 05:25 PM
So I've been sort of noiding lately about the grow. So now my power bill came to my house unsealed. Also seems like it came a day or two late, as my soon to be ex wife has a house and she got a power bill sent to my address and it came in 3 days (meter read on 3/3 and bill arrived 3/6) where mine was read on 2/26 (Friday) and the bill came on 3/5 (friday) unsealed.

Is this being too paranoid or should I be concerned?

Thanks

killerweed420
03-07-2010, 07:04 PM
The cops aren't going to open your mail. They'd just go to the power company to see whats happening. They need a court order and reasonable cause to get the court order. But if someone ratted on you that would be reasonable cause.

Mississippi Steve
03-07-2010, 09:55 PM
So I've been sort of noiding lately about the grow. So now my power bill came to my house unsealed. Also seems like it came a day or two late, as my soon to be ex wife has a house and she got a power bill sent to my address and it came in 3 days (meter read on 3/3 and bill arrived 3/6) where mine was read on 2/26 (Friday) and the bill came on 3/5 (friday) unsealed.

Is this being too paranoid or should I be concerned?

Thanks

This will depend on what the *normal* average power bill is for the house.... if there is a sudden 30% increase or decrease in the power bill, the power company will ask questions.

I am a heating and A/C contractor.... its not unusual for my customers to get a phone call from the power company a month or so after I install a new heating and cooling system and it cuts their power bill way down.

stormin94
03-07-2010, 10:01 PM
For the most part, esp. in Nor Cal, the power company doesn't care if you use more, just so long as you pay, they keep happy/quiet. Now if your usage jumps 50% or more, they might ask you questions. Maybe get an old hot tub and put it in the back yard. Those use lots of power, and although you wouldn't even have to fill it, it's a good cover. You also get the added benefit of about 500 some odd gallons of water storage that would be great for indoor.

Also, under no circumstances should you hack into the power box and steal power. That's an excellent way to get caught, so don't do it.

senorx12562
03-09-2010, 09:06 PM
The cops aren't going to open your mail. They'd just go to the power company to see whats happening. They need a court order and reasonable cause to get the court order. But if someone ratted on you that would be reasonable cause.
This is incorrect. Utilities do not need a court order to access your billing records unless the utility refuses to give up that info, which they never do. There is ample case law extant standing for the proposition that one has no "reasonable expectation of privacy" in one's utility billing records. Hate to shit in your cheerios but that is the state of the law.