When an infra-red camera on the police helicopter identified a suspicious
heat pattern coming from Colin Rowe's workshop, officers were convinced
it was the site of a cannabis factory.
They obtained the necessary search warrant and forced the door to
raid the property while the owner was out.
But instead of finding an illicit drugs operation, the officers discovered
nothing more sinister than a wood-burning stove.
The heat source police regarded as highly suspicious was simply a
stove used to warm the garage workshop where Mr Rowe restores cars
in his spare time.
Not surprisingly Mr Rowe was furious when he returned home to find
the damaged door and the warrant, which had been posted through his
letterbox without an apology.
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'I find it quite disturbing that Wild West Yorkshire Police can do
what they want. I think it is disgraceful, I didn't think the police
would treat anyone like this without good reason,' he said.
'My dad was a police officer for 40 years and he's disgusted about
this.'
College technician Mr Rowe, 41, who has no previous convictions, added:'I think it's a pretty poor way for them to behave given that I'm not the sort of person who's known to the police.'
