Orcas Island, WA - search warrant obtained after reviewing images on Google Earth

[ATCclears]

Orcas Island search warrant sparks legal debate about Google... | www.kirotv.com

Something to watch, in case you might have built a shed or other on your property.

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[mosinguy1]

ok drones and now google earth!!!!!!!! I am thinking about camo netting over my house!!!!! That should drive them batpoop crazy!!!!

I have heard of counties useing google earth to make tax assessments, useing the images to see if any improvements have been made or out buildings added.

I am sorry but a land owner shouldnt have to pay taxes on something they payed taxes on when they 1st bought it, hate that now if not more then when we bought this place.

 

[Trailboss]

It's gone way beyond Google Earth. A buddy got a visit on his 600 acre ranch because the satellite showed a new pond had been dug. They came to arrest him. Turned out to be a mud puddle left over after a big rain.

 

[Morpheus]

Something fishy about that article, the comment below states the DA asked for money to do a fly over. Why do you need Google Earth (or any other internet service) when you get permission to do an aerial fly over?

 

[Mark W.]

So a Tax cheat and someone in violation of the building and health codes got caught. I don't see anything wrong with that. How is it OK for me to look at the front door of a guy house I am going to to buy a gun using Google Earth but its not ok for the various county depts to resort to it when they have repeatedly been deined the ability to properly access the property.

Property accessors have been doing drive bys on my place since we bought it in 1988. How is that just because this guys improvements are not in view of the road that he gets some special right to not pay his share.

 

[mosinguy1]

If they thought he was avoiding his taxes why the hell didnt they just get a warrent the regular way? Show he hasnt had a proper assessment in x amount of years and get from a judge, why use google earth? In all reality we , the tax payers, just payed twice the amount to have this done. 1 time to look at google and a 2nd time to have them apply for a search warrent, probably a days work that should have taken 5 mins.

Like I said before in another post we buy the land we just never truely own it, ever.

As much as I hate to say it, our gooberment jusst got another pass to spy on us!!!!!!