Redmond pot shop hit by smash-and-grab thieves for the 4th time

The Redmond Police Department (RPD) is investigating a smash-and-grab burglary at pot shop Hashtag Cannabis in the Oldtown neighborhood that occurred either late Thursday or early Friday.

Surveillance video shows a dark SUV back up to the front door. The driver then hit the accelerator and crashed through the front door.

“(I’m) just so upset and frustrated. Immediate relief that this happened overnight. Our staff was safe. Just shock and so much sadness that our business has been yet again,” Hashtag Cannabis owner Christine Bryant Darling said.

She said the loss of merchandise and the cost of repairs will cost tens of thousands of dollars and it will likely to come out of her own pocket, because of limited insurance coverage. She says, as a pot shop, getting sufficient coverage is difficult.

Hashtag Cannabis has seen this before: Thieves drive stolen vehicle into Redmond pot shop

Bryant Darling is mostly frustrated because this is the fourth time the shop has been hit in less than a year. She says she’s frustrated further because she believes it could have been avoided. She’s asked the city, after every incident, to allow her to install steal posts known as bollards, in front of her business, at her own expense. Their answer, she says, has always been “no.”

“We had installed eco-blocks after the last burglary of this type in March. They did ask us to remove those eco-blocks. They installed moveable planters, themselves, hoping that physical deterrent would be an impediment to this type of crime happening again. Sadly, it was not, Bryant Darling said.3

City of Redmond offers other suggestions

Redmond leaders say they want to help and are doing what they can. But there’s only so much they can do.

“The area where the business is located has power, utility, and fiber lines running underneath the sidewalks. Installation of the bollards there could disrupt power to local businesses,” City of Redmond spokesman Derek Wing said.

Crime blotter: More stories about crimes committed in the Puget Sound region

The city did offer suggested other ways to secure the business. Some suggestions included:

• Adding concrete masonry that would fill in gaps at the front door façade.
• Installing a steel-reinforced door.
• Securing (putting away) products in a safe, after hours.

“We remain committed to working with them to find a solution,” Wing said.

So, for now, the front entrance is boarded up, but Hashtag Cannabis remains open for business.

Because the car was stolen and because the thieves wore masks, the RPD has little to work with.

If anyone has information about this recent crime, they are asked to call 911.

James Lynch is a reporter at KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of James’ stories here. Follow James on X, or email him here.

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