An investigation into a case of what appears to be Waikato's dopiest dope grower has revealed it to be an equally odd criminal tale of dumb and dumber.

An outline of the incident from police began with a run-of-the-mill call-out to a theft.

They said the complainant arrived home to find someone in his backyard stealing his cannabis plant.

"The offender ran off and the complainant gave chase but had a rock thrown at him by the offender," the bulletin said.

"The complainant had the offender's motorbike which he refused to give back - he then called for the police!

"Maybe a case of sampling too much of his own product?"

But the story that has unfolded of what caused the standoff in a suburban street was similarly dim-witted.

It appears both parties knew each other and were also known to police.

During the summer holiday, a man in his late-teens drove on to the property and parked his motorbike intent on settling a debt with the resident, who was in his late-50s.

Acting senior sergeant Grant Alabaster said the teenager decided to take a small dope plant to settle the score but the resident arrived home and caught him in the act.

"The young one that was stealing [the cannabis plant] rang us because it got out of hand," Alabaster said.

He had a little motorbike that he'd ridden down there and he couldn't get back on the property so he called us so he could get back on the property and get his motorbike."

Alabaster said these situations weren't as rare as one might imagine.

"It has happened in the past, right across the country, I would imagine," he said.

"People in the heat of the moment sometimes forget what their role is in what's happened."

Alabaster said people just don't think.

"They seriously don't. [The teenager] has gone there because he's had a beef and decided to steal [the plant]. He hasn't thought about the repercussions of it at all when he's called us."

Police arrived at the scene and dealt with both men for their actions.

They were dealt with by alternative action such as a pre-charge warning.

No charges were laid but the cannabis plant was destroyed.

- © Fairfax NZ News