Caught on Video: Thieves attempt to slam their way into San Francisco pot dispensary
SAN FRANCISCO -- Hours after cannabis business leaders pleaded for a crackdown on a surge of crimes targeting their San Francisco dispensaries, a group of burglars were videotaped as they attempted the latest break-in.
At around 3:20 a.m., a group of masked thieves slammed a vehicle into the roll-up door at a dispensary on 13th Street. When that proved to be unsuccessful, they turned to crowbars, sledgehammers and finally a torch.
Unsuccessful, they moved on and had fled by the time police arrived. Their heavily damaged vehicle was recovered on Van Ness Ave.
The burglary was just the latest targeting a local dispensary. On Thursday, dispensary owners gathered to raise the alarm over the recent uptick in burglaries, thefts and robberies across the city.
The leaders called on city officials to increase police presence and responsiveness to dispensary thefts within San Francisco.
"All I dreamed of was having a business in San Francisco," said Reese Benton, owner of the poshgreen dispensary. "Now I have a business, but I have no protection. I pay taxes like everyone else. I need the protection like everyone else."
""My store was burglarized, and we were not there, thank God, but it was heartbreaking," she continued.
The leaders say the manner of the thefts has them convinced the burglars have inside information.
"Somebody is going to get hurt for real," said Sean Richards, owner of Burners on Haight. "Whether it's on our side or the other side. This has to stop."
At 3:20am, multiple individuals were caught on video attempting to break into a dispensary at 70th 13th street in San Fransisco. While I was waiting at a light on harrison and 13th street, I had heard a loud crash then seen a vehicle back into a roll up door. Multiple suspects then quickly hopped out and began to break into the business using sledgehammers, crowbars and what looked like a saw.
Police were notified and they responded to the scene shortly after. San Francisco Police found the vehicle that had rammed into the building on 13th near Van Ness Ave. Police say the same crew has burglarized other dispensaries in the city tonight.