Bomb squad finds 800 marijuana plants inside Van Nuys building

VAN NUYS, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Streets surrounding a Van Nuys warehouse were shut down for hours Tuesday morning after police feared the building may have been booby-trapped to protect marijuana plants inside.

An LAPD bomb squad surrounded the warehouse in the 15800 block of Stagg Street just after 5 a.m. The building was deemed safe after the bomb squad confirmed that there were no explosives inside.

What they did find was more than 800 marijuana plants of various sizes - some were 4 to 5 feet tall.

Authorities said a security guard noticed that the door was open and called police, thinking it was a possible burglary. When officers went inside, they noticed a strong marijuana smell, and also saw a pink coiled wire sticking out of an interior door. That's when the bomb squad was called.

A robot was sent in to investigate, blasting the door with water cannons.

Police say they have located the person who was renting the warehouse, but they have no evidence to connect that person to the activity that was happening in the building.

Two people in the industrial complex had to be evacuated. Police said there was never any danger to the Van Nuys Airport or a local elementary school.

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