CHICAGOLAND (CBS)– Will County Forest Preserve Police burned more than 400 marijuana plants Saturday morning after a hidden field of the illegal crop was discovered the previous week.

Lt. Tracy Phillips declined to specify where the growing operation was discovered but said it is on the eastern side of the county.

“It’s a property that doesn’t have public access, but on Sunday a man and his children were walking through the area when he saw the field and called police,” Phillips said.

Trees had been cut out of the densely wooded area and small campsite was found.

Though the crop already had been harvested, police reportedly waited at the site last week to see if any suspects would return because the marijuana had started growing again. Phillips said 441 plants were destroyed when police staged the controlled burn.

“This is something we’re going to keep an eye on. A helicopter pilot has volunteered to help us look for these types of operations next summer,” Phillips said.

(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2012. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)