Excitement

[Jeff]

Not like you want to see though.  Sheriff's deputy just left here after stopping by and letting us know that what we had witnessed was no longer of any danger to the neighborhood.

About 45 minutes ago our phone rang and It was Tammy. She was at the end of our road telling me to go out side, that she could not get home.  As she turned the corner, a car flew up behind her and that is when she saw all the cop cars in front of the house about half way down from the corner to ours. She arrived just at the moment when the law was rushing the house heavily armed. I got outside and watched as they drug people out and put them on the ground. It only took a few moments and it looked like 4 people. We don't know anything about the residents, other than we had heard the wife and kids had left the home earlier this fall.

We had witnessed a methlab bust right here in our quiet little neighborhood.

I didn't think about it until after watching a few minutes, to go in and get the video camera Tammy and the kids got me for Christmas. It has a 42x zoom on it. I did get it in time to see two of the suspects on their knees in front of the car. I wished I'd of had it when I was watching them get drug out and arrested.  ;D   Shortly after they had the subjects out of the house, A firetruck and has-mat team rolled in.

[Magicman]

That sounds like the kind of excitement and also the kind of neighbors that you do not need.  We had a local man that died last month after being badly burned in a meth lab explosion.  That is just beyond my comprehension.

[Paul_H]

Video at 5pm?  ;D

[Peter Drouin]

Im with you MM I don;t get it either. 

[Burlkraft]

Huh?...Imagine that!! 

[Jeff]

It was on T.V. a few minutes ago. Really brief story with a couple still photos saying they would have more at 11:00. I bet they'd like to have my video.

[Corley5]

I saw that too    Made me think of you.  I was hoping you hadn't started a new business  :D

[jdtuttle]

I had training on how to recognize meth labs. Several years ago the County I live in had the most meth labs in NY. They are extremely volatile & dangerous. They are usually located in rural areas. The whole lab can fit in a cooler. And the people involved are very unstable. Glad their out of your neighborhood & everyone is OK.
Jim

[Busy Beaver Lumber]

Jeff

We had similar excitement here in the development I live in twice in the past 4 years.

The first time was 4 years ago, when the SWAT team raided the house 5 doors down. Blew in the sliding glass door and lit of two percussion grenades. Were not actually after the home owners, but rather an uncle that came to stay ( or hide ) at their house that was wanted for drug dealing

Second time was about 4 weeks ago. Resident from our development was pulled over in route to Chicago with large quantity of wacky weed in his car. During interrogation, he admitted to having more at home. Police suprised his wife with late night raid of house and did recover more. Here is the really sad part, she was a vice principal at a local elementary school here in Fort Wayne.

You save your money and buy a $300,000 house in a nice neighborhood, only to find out two families within your same development are drug dealers or have family members that are. What a let down

[Jeff]

This has always been a quiet neighborhood. We've been here since 1984. Stuff changes I guess. This is a nice brick home, but the original family moved a few years ago and it became a rental.  We've noticed screwy things there the last few months, like the garage door being destroyed like someone drove through it, and last month, one of the vehicles in the yard had all 4 tires flat, and even from the road you could see they had been slashed.

I'll try to upload my video. Its not to bad considering I was an 8th of a mile away and holding it freehand.

[Jeff]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BVbTgv1bX4

[Jeff]

Well that was interesting.  9 and 10 news just showed up at my door. Parts of the video above will be on the 11 o'clock news.

[Paul_H]

It was nice and clear.

[Jeff]

Yea, I'm pretty impressed with the camera. I had no idea what was on it until I plugged it in the computer. It was to far away to see, that's why I thought to grag the camera, as I didn't know where there were a pair of Binoculars handy.

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Never a dull moment in this world with the technology we have now!

[Peter Drouin]

Good video Jeff , maybe some nice people will move in and it will be a quiet neighborhood again.

[Jeff]

When the Deputy came by, he let us know that nobody would be living there for awhile. Looking forward to seeing the news. They keep coming on the TV with teasers about it. I guess they caught them while they were cooking the stuff.

The Deputy called this a "two liter" operation.

[WDH]

That video was amazingly good, Producer Brokaw!

[Jeff]

You should see my Burlkraft and Brokaw Tamarack burn videos.  :D

[WDH]

Hopefully, I will.

[Jeff]

Its boring. :D  Fire and two guys talking stupid.

[Taylortractornut]

THey should have shot them onsite.   I have a cousin on the stuff in TN and   its ruined him.        I was on a job in Alabama one time and the sheriffs  dpt called and asked us to bring in a track loader.     THey had a Lab burn down and we  had to wear  space suits to  clean up the site.   

About 3 years ago I was  helping a friend that  fosters children .   He  and his wife  had to go to the burn center as the children they were fostering went back to their parents.      While home their parents were cooking meth and  the lab blew up.        It burnt the childrens arms and backs pretty bad.       I was there for one of the  dead tissue cleaning.   The nurses were very gentle with the kids.   THe parents that had the worst of the fire  was a different story.   With a few orderlies the drs and nurses  did some heavy and hard brushing and scrubbing.

[Burlkraft]

Its boring. :D  Fire and two guys talking stupid.

It's only that way cuz you edited it  :D :D

Are you getting royalties from the Networks for your video ?

[tractormanNwv]

Jeff,
  At least now after seeing what was so close to your family maybe you can breathe a little easier,we truly never know what dangers are close by. great video by the way....you did a great job.

Jim

[sawguy21]

Meth lab busts are a regular occurrence around here. We found out Karen's previous home had been extensively renovated before she moved in, it had been a lab. : The laws regarding returning a dwelling to legal for occupancy are really strict.

[redbeard]

Glad they got those meth  heads. Its a landlords nightmere where we live you have to demo the house. And if you are the owner you lose your structure.

[Bibbyman]

We have a couple of volunteer fire fighters as customers.  They tell of having to get special training to detect and fight meth fires.

We had a neighbor that was in and out of prison.  His house burned to the ground, then a mobile home he moved into to live in burned to the ground.  Suspiciously,  a vacant mobile home with no electricity hooked up to it nearby burned to the ground. 

If you ask yourself,  "What's this world coming to?", this is it.

[SwampDonkey]

Funny how some people think "drugs" is living.

Jeff, the cameras now a days are amazing and not even expensive. There's more features on them than I have taken the time to learn about. :D

Since I bought this camera in November, I've taken lots of videos. I edit out a lot of stuff to upload to Youtube because of dial-up and also the video ends up getting compressed. I get 30 fps on video, some cameras can only do half that. Plus the HD, I just have not bought an HDMI cable yet since I got this new TV. I guess I need to stop in at Walmart next week.

[Roxie]

More than a little scarey!     I'm glad that threat is out of your neighborhood. 

[Raider Bill]

Jeff, What kind of camera are you using?

[Jim_Rogers]

I just did a google search for "meth lab bust in Michigan" and found this news story:

http://www.9and10news.com/story/16490796/meth-lab-bust-in-hayes-twp-sends-3-to-jail

[Jeff]

Its a Sony Handycam HDR-CX160

[Jeff]

Here is the one where they used some of my footage.  They were not sure how to use my format, so they had pointed their Big High Tech camera at my monitor and recorded it as I played it on the computer. I sent a disc with them with the original, but they used what they taped on the monitor. If you look, you can see the player window.  They used about 3 or 4 seconds of it.

http://www.9and10news.com/story/16492867/clare-county-sheriff-calls

[doctorb]

The poen entitiled Mending Wall by Robert Frost contains this line.....

"Good fences make good neighbors"

And, as the poen questions, are you walling yourself in or walling something else out?  So, Jeff, it doesn't sound like you plan to build a fence around your place.  I would be glad the excitement is over.

[Kansas]

I am going to throw this out there. If I had shot that video, I would not have let the news people have any of it. Here is why.

There was a meth lab bust in a neighboring town. I know a woman who was there when it was busted. She worked at a liquor store I occasionally go to. She grew up across the street from me in town. I have suspected she was jacked up on something for a couple of years. This bust only took place a month ago. This woman's mom is in the care home that my F.M. works at. She said she was in yesterday to visit, all jacked up. Those guys may well have hit the pavement 24 hours after it happened. If not, some of their friends may be around. Its obvious where that film was shot from. People who take those kinds of drugs can take revenge or take umbrage very easily and irrationally.

As the one sargent on Hill Street Blues used to say.. lets be careful out there.

[Shotgun]

Great job on the video, Jeff.  Hard to believe that you were that far away.  Neat camera.

Are we going to have to hire security for the pig roast now?    :D

Norm

[Warbird]

How many folks did you see them arrest?  I only see the one guy in your vid.  Pretty scary to have them so close to your home.  Did you ever detect weird chemical smells or see anything suspicious before they got busted?

[Jeff]

Two guys and a girl. The girl is right there next to one of the guys in the video.  All I could tell when I watched it happen was that it was 3 people from the distance I was at. I didn't even know the subjects were still there in the video until I viewed it on the computer.

I'm not worried about repercussions from the video. Not at all. You can't cower to this sort of crap. No way. No how.

[Paul_H]

I know Tom would agree with you on that,Jeff.He didn't agree with living with what he called a "siege mentality"

[isawlogs]

I aint afraid of being afraid ... I also think that one can't cower out of this, ya did good. Theres better ways to make a tv apperance, they chose this one  ;D  8)  Glad it all went down with no one hurt.

[mooleycow]

our town is less than 300.  a little historical town of retired folks mostly.  lynn was murdered last may.  he was a paraplegic.  he was 53.  four came in and took turns with a ballbat.  they stole his computer and some other stuff.  he didn't have much.  folks always say nothing will happen here, no not in little bath, nc.  we all miss lynn.  a neighbor came by saw the door open, glass on the floor and only called inside to tell lynn fedex left a package.  a couple of days later a neighbor dropped by and discovered his body.  we all miss lynn. 

[Kansas]

I think my point was missed. Its not a siege mentality. Its not cowering. Its hard for me to explain. Let me try. And this isn't aimed at anyone, just a general philosophy from someone who has seen and known too much.

Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma have horrible meth problems. The thefts, the violence, murders broken lives are everywhere. I have had employees get caught in the grip of it. Friends who's lives were ruined. Meth makes rational people do things they would never do. You have a meth lab, its not the two or three that make meth. Its an entire circle. It may encompass families. Maybe dozens of people. This has been going on for a long time here. Why it seemed to hit the midwest first, I don't know. I once stumbled onto an abandoned meth lab years ago walking a timber. I didn't even realize what it was. One of my best customers who owns land along the river here accidentally found one. And people were there. And they had guns. He got away safely.

I have a good friend that did meth years ago. She tells me 10 years after she quit she still misses it. I asked what in the world is the deal with a drug that rots your teeth, does the things that meth does to your life, your health, severs relationships and tears up families. She said, if you never have taken it, you can never understand its allure. I never have taken it. I don't plan on it.

Far as I am concerned, you see something wrong, you report it. You film a crime, you turn it over to who needs to see it. But you use discretion. Ask yourself if what you are doing is doing something good. If three are arrested, there are another dozen or so involved. You can pack heat, have all the guns in the world, take precautions. But you can't protect yourself or your family from a 10 second drive by shooting. And it takes little to set those people off. You don't run from trouble, but you don't look for it either. You don't advertise that you saw or filmed something to the press. You don't make idle talk at the coffee shop of what you suspect. You just use a lot of common sense and discretion. Doesn't mean you don't aid law enforcement. Doesn't mean you run afraid or away. Just means be careful. If you walk timbers in this area, sooner or later you are going to run into something you wish you hadn't. I am not much of a gun person, but there are timbers I would never walk without heat.

And be careful who you trust turning over information. A western Kansas sheriff was just arrested this week. For dealing in meth.

I like the people on this forum, consider a number my friends. If you walk timber, live in rural areas, its likely the meth heads will affect you. Just want to see everyone as safe as possible.

[Faron]

We found the remains of a meth lab in a cornfield a couple of years ago.  A couple of days later, a neighbor spotted a nice Gott cooler in the road ditch.  Thinking someone had lost it off a pickup, he stopped and attempted to recover it.  As soon as he disturbed it, it began to hiss and smoke.  He tossed it and ran, and it exploded.  It was an active one pot meth lab.  That seems to be the trend here.  Recently in Oakland City, Indiana, a one pot meth lab was found in Wood Memorial High School.  Students hadn't placed it there either.

[Magicman]

Not meth, but several years ago I found an already harvested marijuana plot on my leased land.  My neighbor's son was always into something with the law.  Someone finally killed him and our activity stopped, so it must have been him.

[SwampDonkey]

We used to find a lot more pot plantations in our thinnings. I have not seen any for 3  years. I guess everyone doing it has learned that it will be found in those young stands by someone. I like my woodlot being only winter trail access, keeps the trash away. Most all of those types are too lazy to walk far. I saw one bunch even had their kids along heading into their patch. They were using an old railway bed for access and it was to a woodlot I was cruising. :

[Patty]

One never knows.....

When I was young with two babies and Norm on the road, we lived in Des Moines. I happened to be looking out the window when a punk broke into a car across the street and stole the purse laying on the seat. I called the police and the kid was arrested within a few blocks of the robbery.

I was feeling pretty smug about my good deed.....until the police brought the robber TO MY HOUSE for me to identify. At that point, the kid knew where I lived, that I was a young mother with 2 babies, and I was the one who reported him. The kid was probably out of jail and back on the streets before the police had their reports written up.

I was incredulous at the jeopardy that policeman put me and my sons into by bringing the punk to my house. Our house was broken into after that, tv stolen, our van stolen, anything they could carry out...stolen....while we slept upstairs. Thank heavens we did not wake up. I cannot say the same man that I identified was who was breaking in....but I have always wondered.

[Raider Bill]

One never knows.....

When I was young with two babies and Norm on the road, we lived in Des Moines. I happened to be looking out the window when a punk broke into a car across the street and stole the purse laying on the seat. I called the police and the kid was arrested within a few blocks of the robbery.

I was feeling pretty smug about my good deed.....until the police brought the robber TO MY HOUSE for me to identify. At that point, the kid knew where I lived, that I was a young mother with 2 babies, and I was the one who reported him. The kid was probably out of jail and back on the streets before the police had their reports written up.

I was incredulous at the jeopardy that policeman put me and my sons into by bringing the punk to my house. Our house was broken into after that, tv stolen, our van stolen, anything they could carry out...stolen....while we slept upstairs. Thank heavens we did not wake up. I cannot say the same man that I identified was who was breaking in....but I have always wondered.

That was simply a lazy Cop although the Bad Guy had to know about where he had been spotted from but not which house specifically.

[Jeff]

In this neighborhood, if we see something we do something about it. I imagine that's what caught these Bozos.  Our neighborhood is referred to around town as "The Hood".  But in our case, it's a good thing.  Our Sheriff is on my Facebook friends list, and he made this post yesterday on his page.

John S. Wilson
I will sleep better knowing the "Hood" is a safer place!!!

I've walked out in the middle of our road and stepped in front of vehicles to stop them when they are tearing around. I've got in my truck and followed people that were seemingly up to no good.  The other neighbors do the same.  We will not sit in the back ground and hope someone else makes things better.  Occasionally a rat gets in.  These got caught, and its a point for everyone here to let every other Rat know, this aint a place you want to frequent.

[beenthere]

Jeff
How long have these three been in/at this house?

[Jeff]

It was originally a family with 3 kids. They moved in there in the spring of 2010. The boys, probably 9 and 10 years old, came down with another neighbor boy while I was building the giant rocking horse. They were quite polite, clean, and seemed like normal kids. and came back and visited several times.

This past spring, we had heard that the mother had left along with the kids, but the husband was left there. We heard rumors why she left, abuse stuff, but thats all we knew. Since then the place seemed to go down hill. This spring when I was walking to the PT I noticed it looked like someone had driven through the garage door.  It was all mangled, but it did get fixed. We started seeing a lot of cars there. I guess the cops were called a couple times that I know of because of loud parties.

About 2 months ago, we observed two sheriffs cars in front of the place with deputies walking around the house.

The Husband was one of the ones arrested. Looks like the wife saw the writing on the wall, or the guy simply skidded down hill fast after she left.  I see last night on the news they said he was the ring leader and his bond was set at 2 million dollars.

[thecfarm]

2 million dollars? Man,he was important the wrong way.

[Raider Bill]

2 million dollars? Man,he was important the wrong way.

Heck a bondsman would be only 10% = $200K..... Chump change...

[isawlogs]

Bill can you explaine to me how that goes, the bond thing I have no clue of how that works , are you saying that this person can get out with 200k's .  ???

  I need schoolin'  :P 

[ely]

a person only has to come up with 10% of the posted bond amount to get out of jail. but if they skip bail they lose the bond.

[ely]

oh and jeff, i agree with your attitude on all this stuff totally, but your actions imo aint so bright.... never walk in front of any vehicle.... common sense is one thing but you never have a clue what that driver has been doing prior to their actions, high drunk strung out fighting the ol lady or the ever popular D. all of the above.

bottom line =we all want to go home tonite. lets be careful out there.

[Jeff]

I stood in the road with my hand up ready to move if they showed no sign of slowing. I didn't jump out in front of it or anything. Yelling from the edge of the road I consider not to smart. They just flip you off.

[Raider Bill]

Marcel,
Normally you can buy a bond for 10% of your bail plus you would have to put up something worth the whole bail such as a house for collateral. The 10% is nonrefundable. If you skip the house is theirs. Bail Bondsmen are basically buying an insurance policy with you not showing up for all your court dates as the risk. They share the 10% with the underwriting/insurance Co which is where their money's made.
If your bail is lower some Bondsman will not buy the policy and hold the note themselves so they can keep the 10% but they take the risk of you skipping...

In this case 2 million, bond would be $200K plus 2 Million in collateral to secure the bond.

[DouginUtah]

I'm expecting Dog to jump in and concur with what has been said.  :D  ;)

[Jeff]

I like Dog. 

[SwampDonkey]

From my perspective it's what ever feels right. And if your not in it alone, even better. 

[Polly]

  :D  the guy next door to me got raided a couple years ago ,the police had a bear in the air and more on the ground ,they took 2 or 3 plants from him ,took him to jail and eventully droped all chgs ,i cant figure out why ky is having trouble with their budget i guess they need to raid more houses  :D :D