A surprise find outside the courthouse

JOHN BISSET/Timaru Herald

CRIME UNCOVERED: Sergeant Grant Lord with the cannabis plant he found growing in the Timaru courthouse grounds yesterday.

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JUST sometimes police officers really don't have to go out of their way to uncover a crime ... even if the offence took place months earlier.

Sergeant Grant Lord stopped to chat to some people sitting at a picnic table outside the Timaru courthouse yesterday.

The group were standing around in the sun - looking at the ground.

Mr Lord also looked - and plucked himself a healthy looking, 25cm high cannabis plant.

The plant was growing at the base of the table.

The former drug detective reckoned the specimen was about eight weeks old - making it a fair guess someone had enjoyed an illegal puff at the picnic table months earlier.