KING 5 posted video from the crash scene

The latest in a string of crash and grab burglaries hitting Seattle cannabis shops targeted The Reef Dispensary overnight at E Olive Way and Denny.

According to East Precinct radio updates, a 911 caller reported a car had crashed through the front of the store just before 3 AM. Police said four men entered the store in full facemasks and grabbed items before fleeing westbound in an SUV, leaving the crashed car behind.

KING 5 posted video of the crash scene but was unable to confirm the car was part of a break-in. City Hall is marking Indigenous Peoples’ Day so many resources like public information officers are not available.

According to radio updates, the getaway was not clean with police reporting that one of the men in the heist fell on glass inside the store. Police also reported that someone had been able to fire pepper spray into the SUV before it sped off.

There were no reported injuries. Seattle Fire was called to the 1525 E Olive Way location to help secure the building.

The heist is the latest in a long string of similar burglaries at stores across the area in recent months. The cars typically used in the ripoffs are stolen with punched-out ignitions.

Last year, the county looked into forming a taskforce and utilizing pot sales tax revenue to fight crime involving the industry after a wave of robberies targeting the cash-only businesses.

Despite legalization in most western states, there remains a market targeting underage buyers and buyers willing to risk the illicit market to save a buck.

UPDATE 10/10/23 8:55 AM: SPD has confirmed details of the burglary investigation and says the value of goods taken in the heist has not yet been determined:

Police responded to a report of a burglary in the 1500 block of E Olive Way around 3:00 a.m. Monday. Police arrived and observed an unreported stolen red Hyundai vehicle had been driven into the business. The suspects left in a vehicle that was waiting nearby. It was reported to police the suspects were wearing black ski masks and black jackets and left the area in an SUV type vehicle. An extensive search for the suspects yielded negative results. Have not yet received the total amount and value of goods stolen from the business.

HELP KEEP CHS PAYWALL-FREE
Subscribe to CHS to help us hire writers and photographers to cover the neighborhood. CHS is a pay what you can community news site with no required sign-in or paywall. To stay that way, we need you.

Become a subscriber to help us cover the neighborhood for as little as $5 a month.