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Absent-Minded Homeowner's Burglar Alarm Leads Police To Major Drug Bust

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A Penn Hills Police officer who checked out a burglar alarm at a home didn't find a burglar.

Instead, he found a lot of marijuana and what looks like a marijuana distribution network set up in the basement of the home.

About 25 pounds of pot was discovered – about 15 of which was found stuffed in a clothes dryer.

Police also found about $11,000 worth of cash.

And all of this was found, because apparently the absent-minded home owner left his front door open, which set off the burglar alarm.

"Our police went in to make sure no one in distress, to make sure everyone is safe," said Penn Hills Police Chief Howard Burton. "Upon entering the home, they noticed a good deal of packaging material, drug paraphernalia, drug material. They secured the home, applied for a search warrant, executed a search warrant at the home, saw approximately 20-25 pounds of marijuana."

The police chief says much of the operation was set up in the basement.

It looks like the marijuana sent here was from California, that it was being distributed from the Penn Hills home.

"It was shipped through the postal service," Burton said. "It was shipped in little aluminum foil packages with an attempt to hide the owner and then they were shipped through the United States mail actually."

Penn Hills Police say likely about 50 pounds of marijuana was actually sent to the house and that about half of it was sold already.

Police are currently looking for two men.

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