Two arrested following house fire in Speke

Police responded to reports of a house fire in Speke yesterday, Sunday 19 June.

Emergency services were called to a report of a fire on All Saints Road.

A 43-year-old man and a 46-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of cultivating a cannabis plant a Class B controlled drug and abstracting electricity without authority. Investigation is ongoing.

Scottish Power attended and made the electrics safe.

A joint investigation is being carried out by Merseyside Fire and Rescue and Merseyside Police.

Community Inspector for Speke, Neil Birkett said: "This incident highlights the dangers posed by cannabis farms and what happens when criminals tinker with the wiring and overload plugs.

“Thankfully, no one sustained major injuries from the fire, and thanks to the efforts of firefighters who attended the fire didn’t spread to neighbouring properties.

He added: "This incident shows why it is vital that we find cannabis farms as quickly as possible. Nobody wants to live close to a potential death-traps such as this, and it is often thanks to people living in the areas affected who tell us about their suspicions, and the proactivity of our officers, that we are able to take action.

"The people who run these farms care far more about making ill-gotten gains than the risks they pose to neighbouring properties.”

A video on how you can spot signs of cannabis being grown near where you live can be found here - https://youtu.be/rc59i2dsZHM

Some of the signs that cannabis is being grown are:

• Strange smells and sounds
• Frequent and varied visitors to a property, often at unusual times
• Gardening equipment being taken into a property, such as plant pots, fertiliser, fans and industrial lighting
• Windows are sealed and covered or the curtains are permanently closed
• Heat from an adjoining property
• Birds gathering on a roof in cold weather
• Individually these activities may seem commonplace, however, together may indicate something more suspicious

Anyone with information on suspected drug production or criminal activity in their community can contact @MerPolCC, call 101 or come forward anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Always call 999 if a crime is in progress.