Man illegally grew marijuana and stole electricity to power the operation, Fountain Valley police say

A 52-year-old Garden Grove man was arrested this week after authorities found a marijuana-growing operation in a Fountain Valley home.

After getting a complaint about the possible illicit activity, detectives from the Fountain Valley Police Department started an investigation on Tuesday, Sept. 17, police said Thursday. That day they searched a home in the 16000 block of Sycamore Street and seized 311 marijuana plants.

Apart from the illicit grow, a Southern California Edison investigator responded to the house and found that the occupant had stolen about $14,000 worth of bypassed electricity to power the operation over the past few months, police said.

Chinh Le was arrested on suspicion of growing marijuana and theft of utilities. He was held in lieu of $25,000 bail and was released the next day after posting bond, according to jail records.