SEATTLE – Seattle police are investigating after thieves broke into Kemp’s Cannabis in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood on Wednesday morning.
What we know:
Seattle police said officers responded to reports of two cars involved in a smash-and-grab burglary in the 3000 block of First Avenue before 3 a.m.
When FOX 13 Seattle arrived at the scene, a car had crashed into the business‘ storefront and police had surrounded the scene.
Manager and co-owner of Kemp’s Cannabis, Tran Du, shared surveillance video of the smash-and-grab, which showed at least five people in the store taking products. The burglars caused an estimated $20,000 to $25,000 in damages and stolen goods.
Investigators said at least one suspect may have been armed with a handgun.
Living nearby, Du immediately called the alarm company and rushed to the scene.
“I ran out and I saw this car already here, but as I was walking to the store, I saw another car pull up—it was probably the getaway car,” Du recalled.
Du described how the burglars operated in two groups, using multiple vehicles.
“They were making their second pass to go back in with the second car that came,” Du said. “There were probably 10-12 people—one group in the first car and another group in the second car.”
When officers arrived, the suspects had left the scene.
“They yelled to the people inside, ‘Hey, cops are coming! Let’s go!’” Du said. “It’s fortunate that the police showed up because they literally showed up a minute or two right after I called.”
Last month, Kemp’s Cannabis’ SODO location was also hit. Unlike the prior break-in, where a thief used ‘jaws of life’ to pry open ATMs, this incident appeared to be a more typical smash-and-grab.
“This was little kids probably stealing vape products to resell,” Du said. “They weren’t stealing it to consume because they stole all the [expletive] weed they could possibly steal.”
Many cannabis shop owners in the region say they have taken extensive security measures, but burglaries remain a persistent problem. Business owners have urged city officials to allow the installation of bollards or concrete barriers for protection.
“I really thought the building was secure—you look at it and it’s completely a brick building,” Du said. “There used to be a median right there, but it got taken away. So, I don’t know why the median is gone. I think that was the weak point.”
In Redmond, Hashtag Cannabis co-owner Logan Bowers said his shop sought a permit for bollards for more than a year and a half, but the request was denied. As an alternative, he placed large cinder blocks in front of the store—only to receive a cease-and-desist order from the city, threatening daily fines of $1,000 until the blocks were removed.
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” Bowers said. “It is especially tragic that they refuse to let us prevent crimes.”
Du is relieved that no employees or customers were present during the break-in. Despite the setback, Du remains committed to his business.
“This isn’t going to discourage me from continuing to do it,” Du said. “It’s just the nature of the business. Target isn’t stopping because of so much rampant theft. Starbucks closed because of the situation downtown. But this… there’s nobody to blame for it. We’re a high-risk business.”
Kemp’s Cannabis is strongly considering placing bollards to prevent future break-ins.
The Seattle Department of Transportation told FOX 13 that businesses can apply for permits to install bollards, but decisions consider pedestrian safety, accessibility, and overall impact.
The investigation remains ongoing. The Seattle Police Department is urging anyone with information about the burglary to come forward.
The Source: Information for this report comes from Kemp’s Cannabis Belltown manager Tran Du, Seattle Police and original interviews from FOX 13’s Shawn Chitnis and Alejandra Guzman.
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Seattle police are investigating after thieves broke into Kemp’s Cannabis in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood on Wednesday morning. Read More
