Dispensaries Are Being Robbed In California, Are Police Letting It Happen?

Some very disappointing news is coming out of California this week, involving what’s called a “looting craze,” which sees countless burglaries taking place inside legal cannabis dispensaries.

You’d think in a state that generates significant revenue thanks to legalized cannabis, authorities would be a bit more compassionate about what’s going on. However, it looks like San Franciso-area police aren’t all that enthusiastic about protecting cannabis budtenders and store owners.

San Franciso police are currently being accused of blatantly letting horrible crimes sweep the state inside marijuana shops, which has already done $5 million in damage. At least news sources are shedding some needed light on the situation because, at this rate, the ease of robbing a dispensary is nothing but fuel for thieves.

According to Forbes, police are not responding to reported break-ins, and they’re arriving at the scene hours later. Upon arrival, law enforcement will ask the store owners to file a police report, that is, if they respond at all. In one recorded instance, police officers were idly standing by and blindly watching the unarmed thrives rob a legal cannabis dispensary.

There’s definitely some motivation behind the robberies. Since cannabis became recreationally legal in 2018, the state has generated more than $14 million a year in taxes. But, in San Francisco and Oakland, there have been reportings of over 25 burglaries in the past few weeks. California still has a very active illicit market, which would make these prime and quality cannabis goods a top-selling product.

In one of the more severe and disturbing cases, a San Francisco surveillance video shows police offers standing by and watching three thieves fill their bags with cannabis items, then drive off without being stopped by authorities at the scene.

An anonymous cannabis merchant told Forbes that what’s happening across California “is a very blatant ‘we ain’t doing anything’ situation.” There have also been recent robberies at stores like CVS, Target, Louis Vuitton, and Nordstrom, but such instances have caught international attention and sparked press conferences by elected officials.

When it comes to cannabis dispensaries and storefronts, critics are saying none of that sympathy is being directed to the recent cannabis crimes. Gov. Gavin Newsom spoke about the issue during a media release on Nov. 22, saying that he has no sympathy or empathy for the people “smashing and grabbing, stealing people’s items, creating havoc, and terror on our streets.”

He concluded that it needs to stop, and the government is looking for real accountability, “we want people prosecuted, and we want people to feel safe this holiday season.”