Seattle pot dispensary burglarized twice in one month
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SEATTLE -- A local marijuana dispensary was burglarized twice in the span of a month, and the shop's CEO says she's frustrated the crook is still on the loose.
Choice Wellness Center CEO Dawn Darington said the same man targeted her pot dispensary twice in recent weeks, and she watched it all unfold on surveillance camera.
"It was actually heartbreaking," Darington said of the burglar. "We had really tried to help him. He really seemed like he wanted to improve the quality of his life."
Darington said the burglar made off with more than $36,000 in cash, property and merchandise.
"We're running a business here. We're trying to help patients and to lose what we use to help patients is very devastating," she said.
Darington said a few weeks after the first burglary, the man came back for a second time. He forced his way into the building and took about $2,000 worth of items.
In both cases, Darinton said she filed police reports. Officers took the jars with the burglar's finger prints, but Darington said she's frustrated by the lack of progress in the investigation.
"It just kind of shocked me that over a month there's no warrant," she said.
While she waits for justice, she hopes her business and clients don't become victims again.
"I have everything in my life in this business to help patients and to come and just take it -- it's wrong," she said.
Choice Wellness Center CEO Dawn Darington said the same man targeted her pot dispensary twice in recent weeks, and she watched it all unfold on surveillance camera.
"It was actually heartbreaking," Darington said of the burglar. "We had really tried to help him. He really seemed like he wanted to improve the quality of his life."
Darington said the burglar made off with more than $36,000 in cash, property and merchandise.
"We're running a business here. We're trying to help patients and to lose what we use to help patients is very devastating," she said.
Darington said a few weeks after the first burglary, the man came back for a second time. He forced his way into the building and took about $2,000 worth of items.
In both cases, Darinton said she filed police reports. Officers took the jars with the burglar's finger prints, but Darington said she's frustrated by the lack of progress in the investigation.
"It just kind of shocked me that over a month there's no warrant," she said.
While she waits for justice, she hopes her business and clients don't become victims again.
"I have everything in my life in this business to help patients and to come and just take it -- it's wrong," she said.
Also now that I know that this is a low priority for Seattle PD, maybe I'll go and better myself. Also I'm not really to sympathetic, as you made no improvements when you were robbed the 1st time.  If I had EVERYTHING tied up in my business, I would protect it better.  Â
"...We had really tried to help him. He really seemed like he wanted to improve the quality of his life."
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How does this "CEO" know this information?Â
Wait until local farmers try growing the new crop.Growing,growing,growing,almost there,uh gone? What the..........
and now that the world knows you have zero security and $36k laying around you might want to hire an armed guard, a good accountant, and an even better lawyer.
$36k in cash on hand? Â Why doesn't this business owner have a time-lock drop box for whenever the till has more than a grand in it?
@Travis Hartnett You might want to read articles more carefully. the $36,000 was in stock, equipment and a small amount of cash. We have always kept our inventory within the legal limits and never have over a few hundred dollars on hand. We no longer keep any back stock on the premises.
Maybe she should leave the crappy stuff (or even some oregano) out and the good stuff and money locked away in a safe. That way if they do break in, they will get such a crappy product, they may choose not to waste their time there again.
Live and learn. Used to be on the Ave across from Pag's. Not the greatest meds and a weird vibe from the owners. That woman interviewed in this story dropped her business cards on the sidewalks around paperboxs and bus stops around the Ave, which I thought was kind of annoying.
"I have everything in my life in this business to help patients and to come and just take it -- it's wrong," she said.
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While I agree that people shouldn't expect stuff to be taken from them, her naivete is glaringly evident. Like a jewelry store, she has an easily marketable product that needs to be secured during off hours. Time to get a safe and develop new shop procedures.
Going to be a waste of time waiting for the police to help. She should just do a better job of securing all inventory after closing time. Some places are having huge bank vaults installed to roll all the product into at night. Its either that or hire a fulltime security guard to guard it at night.
call me strange or what ever. but doesnt anyone find this a little odd. I mean a drug dealer demanding police services. I mean I do get the fact we voted to make this drug legal. But its still illegal on federal level. And one more question is our local police funded in anyway by federal money? If so they might not be able to police this product. Cuase under current regulations. if your company or agency recevice federal funding. you can not use this drug or have contact with it in legal means. I know the police are hired by city and state. But don't they get some federal funding some where down the river line?
@Bizquick OK, Strange. First of all, we are not drug dealers. We are a holistic health center that includes organic medical cannabis as a part of the available modalities a patient may find beneficial. That there are drug dealers possing as mmj providers is a problem you need to take up with your various city councils and state legislators.Â
Just because you suspect someone , does not make it so. They call that innocent until "Proven" Guilty. Funny how the Justice system works . Why should a Drug Dealer get special treatment from Law Enforcement. Really what did you expect would happen when you display and advertise it.
@missyk Twenty plus minutes of film showing Daniel Belleque methodically breaking into the safe (we have a new bigger, better one) and packing away merchandise into his back pack. All we could think of was "Wow, he sure looks innocent." I guess that by your logic, every store who has a display or sign with their name posted, is asking to be burgled.Â
Advertising that you made $36K is stupid. You're inviting the burglars and others back. Or maybe your brain is fried from thinking.
You're selling DRUGS, lady. While your CUSTOMERS may very well legally be in need of your product, certain users of this DRUG wants to sell it to other users... so if you don't protect your business as others here have pointed out... this is going to happen again and again. What'd you expect?
Welcome to the world of shopkeeping. I find it hard to have any sympathy here
@DrugFighter Cannabis is NOT a drug. It is a herb. Choice Wellness Center is not a drug operation. We have many modalities to help patients that do not involve cannabis and products that do contain organic cannabis.  We have many free classes to help patients control their pain without becoming intoxicated. Take care, your bias is showing.
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 @newdragon Spot on.
Listen and learn my friend. "$36,000 in cash, property and merchandise!" That's what you call a red flag alert.
This will only get worse.
What ever happened to using a safe or vault to lock up the valuables just incase something like this happens ?
 @KFS No kidding. I wouldn't think it would take more than 15 minutes to gather up the jars at end of day and put in an appropriate safe. A bit of a learning curve for these wanna be shop owners.
@Scoondog @KFS They probably are too stoned to remember the combination of the safe is all...
If the shop owner knows the perp why not get the cops to issue an arrest warrant? Or at least find out his hangouts etc to pick this wanker up.Â
 @PrairieDawn I always thought a wanker was a penis... oh, I guess it is in this case too.
; ^ )-
The dispensary might want to think about locking the place up a little tighter in order to actually prevent this type of activity. A badge-reader to enter, reinforced doors and windows, shatter-proof glass, dead bolt locks on all doors and windows, glass-break sensors and sirens...c'mon....this ain't no boutique. The criminals are serious, and so should you be regarding protecting your business.Â
Welcome to the future. Â Saw this coming a long time ago.
he "did" want to improve the quality of his life--with money and drugs.
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