Police mistakenly raid elderly couple's home in Leicester

An elderly couple in Leicester had a terrifying experience when police raided their home, believing it housed a cannabis farm. Barry and Mavis Lovelock were having breakfast when nine officers burst in after a thermal camera on a helicopter mistakenly identified their warm home as a drugs site. The couple has two gas fires running constantly to keep warm during cold months, which caused the heat signature on their roof. After searching the house, police quickly realized their mistake and apologized. The Lovelocks described the incident as awful and frightening. Mrs. Lovelock said they were left shaking in fear during the chaotic raid. Leicestershire Police informed the couple that another nearby home turned out to have a genuine cannabis farm, where 79 plants were recovered. Police have since accepted responsibility for the error and promised to reimburse the couple for any damage caused during the raid. They have also been asked to provide quotes for replacing their broken front door and back gate. Mrs. Lovelock, 78, expressed how the incident left her feeling unsafe and anxious. Mr. Lovelock, 80, who has Parkinson's disease, also expressed concern about their trust in the police after this incident. Police acknowledged that their information was not fully accurate and stated that an investigation is still ongoing regarding the real cannabis farm nearby.