Police responding to an alarm call discovered an extensive indoor marijuana grow on Saturday night, May 11.

At 6:55 p.m. Oakdale police officers responded to Kirk Briggs Signs at 551 S. Yosemite Ave., due to an audible alarm and motion detection sensors activated in the office portion of the facility.

Oakdale Police Sergeant Joseph Carrillo said that when officers arrived, they encountered an unknown female subject exiting the building. When she was contacted, she verbally identified herself as Robin Briggs, 52, sister of the owner, Kirk Briggs, and she had been given permission to stay for a few days in the building. According to Carrillo, she did not have any identification with her.

Officers conducted a security check of the interior of the building and came across a “large marijuana grow operation” in a portion of the building.

Oakdale Police notified the Stanislaus Drug Enforcement Agency and a search warrant was issued for the premises which resulted in the recovery of 452 marijuana plants in various stages of growth.

“Four-hundred and fifty-two plants is an awful lot for one person,” said Sgt. Carrillo. “It was a fairly sophisticated grow operation.”

Carrillo said officers contacted Kirk Briggs by telephone and he said he would respond to the business while officers were present.

“He never made it,” Carrillo said.

Carrillo said a hydroponic system was used inside the business to grow the pot plants.

A hydroponic system allows marijuana plants to grow faster than in soil and provides a more concealed operation since it is done indoors.

On Monday, May 13, Briggs contacted Oakdale Police and said he would be in that evening to provide a statement.

At press time no update was given by the police department regarding the case.