Seattle Police were investigating after someone smashed a white Chevy pickup into the storefront of Capitol Hill pot shop Ruckus and fled the scene early Monday morning.
The crash was reported just after 3:30 AM at the 14th and Republican store where police could be seen cautiously approaching the truck and smashed-up pot shop. There were no occupants in the vehicle and it did not appear that the truck entered far enough to allow entry into the store.
There were no arrests and no reported injuries. Seattle Fire was dispatched for an extrication rescue but the call was quickly canceled. Multiple Seattle Police vehicles responded to the scene.
Just around the corner from both a Walgreens and the heavily fortified 15th Ave E Uncle Ike’s, the area is home to several security cameras. Police could be seen recording the location of several cameras near the crash scene.
According to police scanner updates, the vehicle is registered to a Queen Anne-area address and had not been reported stolen.
UPDATE: SPD is investigating the incident as an attempted break-in:
Due to the location of the business, it was apparent that the vehicle into the building was a deliberate act to gain access to the business to commit a burglary. The vehicle had gained entry but there was a secondary security gate within the business, stopping any further burglary activities. The registered owner of the vehicle was contacted who stated they had recently sold the vehicle. The vehicle was impounded.
Engaged in an ongoing business rivalry with larger competitor Uncle Ike’s, Ruckus has been the target of periodic ripoff attempts over recent years including a December 2019 armed hold-up that police say appears to have been part of a string of pot shop robberies. The shop was also robbed in May of 2019 and in October of 2018 police say an armed perpetrator made off with $5,000 in pot shop cash. Ruckus opened as the first legal pot shop on Capitol Hill in late 2015.
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Am I the only one to feel like Ruckus is vaguely cursed? Feels like my college dealer’s dorm room, and has had break-ins, gunshots, now this?? Wtf.
Their building is old and not inherently secure
Totally! I remember when it was That Shop with that cool little craft area upstairs…
Just seems like security would be a huge part of running a cannabis biz.
Surely somebody’s going to blame Ian?
Not necessarily but these nuisance businesses, which are more than borderline dangerous, should not have been funneled into 15th Ave E, without consultant neighborhood review. How much longer before someone is actually killed due to these sketchy “capitalist” enterprises? Make cannabis purveyors subject to neighborhood planning. No one wants them adjacent to residential zones and in school walk zones.15th has been exploited long enough. If they attract crime they should lose their license to operate. Three strikes and they are out.
They’re getting burglarized so much because they’re forced to deal in cash. My family and I live in the neighborhood and we’re fine with them there. Not any sketchier than liquor stores. If you want so much ‘neighborhood planning’ why don’t you move to the suburbs?
spot on Stevens, I live down the street as well. It’s a self fulfilling prophecy when they are forced to only use cash. @andrew What about when Harry’s was recently broken into and thief’s stole liquor against well established pizza/bar spots too?
Seems rather suspicious that there are 2 pot shops there, yet only 1, Ruckus, a direct competitor of Uncle Ike’s, seems to be the only one that anyone goes after, REPEATEDLY.