Marijuana shops hit in South Sound crime spree

South Sound pot shops have gotten hit five times in the past week.

They all seem to have a similar feel: A car crashes into the front of the store and robbers storm the place. They get what they can and leave in another car.

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The latest smash-and-grab came at the Green Lady Marijuana’s west side location in Olympia on Saturday. The store said the thieves got away with approximately $300 in product, but caused thousands of dollars in damage.

“Yeah, I was definitely overwhelmed,” said Bailey Beckett, the store manager of Green Lady Marijuana. “I was dumbfounded with the amount of just chaos that was our building.”

There was another case last Friday, but this one involved gunfire. The robbers and a security guard shot at each other with Tacoma Police believing one thief may have been hit.

On Oct. 23, another marijuana business was hit in the Summit neighborhood. Again, a car was used to smash through the front entrance.

“We’re concerned because these guys are armed,” said Sergeant Darren Moss, the Communications Director for Pierce County Sheriff’s Department. ‘”They’re doing very dangerous things. If there’s an employee inside the store, somebody could get seriously injured with a car running right through it.”

Two other break-ins were reported in Auburn.

Police from various districts all said that stolen cars were used in the robberies, with robbers wearing masks. All were also captured on security cameras.

It’s not clear whether the five crimes are connected or committed by the same suspects.

“But here’s just another thing now that marijuana stores have to worry about,” Moss said. “Burglaries, not just armed robberies, during the day.”

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