Dispensary Thieves in Colorado Steal Display Jars of Oregano Instead of Flower

A group of would-be thieves recently tried to snatch a stash of weed from a dispensary in Colorado Springs, Colorado. And while they succeeded in breaking into the shop and stealing a bunch of merchandise, they didn’t actually end up with what they were looking for. Instead of getting away with jars full of bud, the thieves ended up stuck with jars full of oregano.

Smash-and-Grab Robbery at Colorado Dispensary

The Native Roots Dispensary in Colorado Springs was recently broken into in what local news sources are calling a “smash-and-grab” operation. The incident reportedly took place around 1 a.m.

According to witnesses, a group of teenagers drove a stolen van directly into the dispensary. The van smashed a hole into the building, and the people driving the van entered the shop.

From there, they reportedly stole jars of “herb” from the display windows. They also took t-shirts.

From the looks of it, the group was trying to get their hands on a nice stash of cannabis. But the owner of the dispensary told authorities that the thieves never actually entered the locked room that holds all the flower.

Instead, they mistakenly took the display jars—which are filled with oregano instead of marijuana.

And while the dispensary owner might be happy that none of the shop’s product was stolen, the store still has to deal with a smashed storefront. In particular, the damage is reportedly in the thousands of dollars.

At this time, authorities have not released any details about possible suspects. But witnesses said it looked a group of teenagers. Additionally, they said there was also a get-away vehicle with a driver.

Authorities think there’s a chance the robbery could be part of a larger string of smash-and-grab robberies. There have been a number of such operations in Colorado Springs recently.

According to local media, a similar incident was reported at another dispensary, Canna Meds Wellness Center. Similarly, a Famous Footwear store was robbed in the same way.

Security and Marijuana Dispensaries

Security is always a pressing issue with cannabis dispensaries. For starters, there’s always the risk that people will want to steal cannabis for its street value.

Beyond that, many dispensaries are forced to operate as cash only businesses. That’s primarily because banks and credit companies generally refuse to do business with dispensaries, given that cannabis remains federally illegal.

As a result, dispensaries often have a lot of cash on hand. And this can sometimes make them more vulnerable to break-ins.

Fortunately for marijuana business owners, banks and credit companies are slowly beginning to change. In many weed-legal locations, banks are becoming more open to the possibility of serving cannabis businesses. This could help mitigate some of the security risks dispensaries face.

Either way, dispensaries certainly have their fair share of break-ins. And as with this latest smash-and-grab robbery, sometimes things get a little weird.

For example, three people recently charged into a Canadian dispensary, apparently with the intention of robbing it. Instead, they were fought off by a dispensary employee, who used a giant bong to defend the store.