Thanks to a CHS reader for the picture and the tip!
Just days after one Capitol Hill marijuana store reopened after three months and $300,000 of work to rebuild its storefront, another neighborhood pot shop was nailed in a smash and grab burglary early Friday morning.
Police were called to the 15th Ave E Uncle Ike’s just before 1:45 AM to the crash and reports of three to five suspects quickly loading merchandise into another vehicle. Arriving officers found a silver sedan smashed into the front of the Uncle Ike’s and tracked down a blue Chevy Impala with the suspects fleeing the scene.
Police followed the Impala onto Broadway but did not engage in a high speed pursuit as the vehicle sped northbound from Mercer, according to East Precinct radio updates.
Meanwhile, officers surrounded the 15th and Republican crash scene and used a loudspeaker to hail anybody remaining in the building but no suspects were located at the scene.
The crashed car was left still running. The driver had deftly guided the vehicle at speed in reverse between a utility box decorated with a portrait of Anthony Bourdain and a sidewalk tree to strike the building and rip open the storefront.
There were no reported injuries and no immediate arrests.
The heist was the latest in Seattle and the neighborhood mixing car theft and burglary to target the cannabis industry.
CHS reported here on last weekend’s grand re-opening of The Reef after that store was heavily damaged in a smash and grab burglary in February — its third break-in since opening on E Olive Way in 2018. While the industry has been targeted for its cash-only transactions under federal restrictions, area owners say security practices have improved and the break-ins continue because of the value of the product and the relative ease of car theft.
Uncle Ike’s 15th Ave E was closed for business Friday and listed to not reopen until Monday. Customers were being referred to its E Olive Way location just a block from The Reef.
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This one hurts less than The Reef. Sorry to the workers tho.
Yes.
Is there a pot shop hierarchy?
Yes, and it’s simple: Ian Eisenberg, the owner of Uncle Ike’s, is a ruthless, predatory businessman with a long history of probably-illegal, definitely-shady behavior. He’s entitled, racist, and generally a douchebag. All other pot shops are therefore preferable to his.
Go to Ruckus instead! You can probably use Uncle Ike’s parking lot that is directly across the street from Ruckus for the weekend since they’re closed. Otherwise they have signs up saying Ruckus customers can’t park there… (FYI they opened WAY AFTER Ruckus did.)
Oh no, anyways. Thoughts and prayers for the tree.
I do wonder if its time to take away legal access to cars, like, they kill people when properly used, are used for crimes, generally cost people a gripload of money and their health over their lives…
Just saying…
I do wonder of it’s time to close all the pot stores. Like, they sell products which cannot be good for our health, attract crime, and generally cost people a gripload of money…
Just saying….
“and generally cost people a gripload of money…”
Do you EVER…HAVE ANYTHING FACTUAL TO SAY???? Seriously what’s your problem? You have so many personal interests you could run for POTUS. These are taxes YOU DO NOT PAY! Hello? Glenn? You there? You have no dog in the fight. You just are so triggered all the time that it’s got to be bad for your health both mental and physical. Some people can not pull themselves away from doom scrolling for example. It can be anyone. A retired history professor friend for example. She kept saying how everything is overwhelming. So one day I said “Mary, you need to sit on your hands when the urge hits. Be frugal with your time. Set hard, non-negotiable boundaries. It changed her life. Simple change and a little know thy self, some know something, have discipline. It’s about all you need to change most anything.
So here is the truth and now you can’t say it anymore. Sing the praises of user fees. That’s more your speed.
It reads…
Washington State receives a significant amount of revenue from cannabis sales through excise and sales taxes. Since recreational cannabis sales began in 2014, the state has generated over $4.1 billion in cannabis excise and sales taxes.
Here’s a breakdown of recent tax revenue:
Tax Rates:
Where the money goes:
You can read? About the law here:
https://www.gleamlaw.com/cannabis-law-blog/blog/wa-state-mj-tax/
Good God Glenn, you took a lampoon back to the exact thing it was lampooning.
Just changing the zoning change and require that pot-shops be located within 20 feet of a police station.
Make it a delivery only business.
What if they were required to be in operation 24hours a day?
Re-enforce it by requiring pot shops be within 420 feet of at least three food options, one of which must serve nachos after midnight. If none exist, the shop must install its own nacho fountain.
Obviously this was a hit put out by Ruckus.
I just blame Stephen Miller for everything now.
Seems like the stores ought to start locking up the merchandise at night making it harder to “grab” after the losers smash. The ones that move into old bank branches should just put everything in the vault overnight.
Wow…I go there often.
Oh well. Go to Ruckus.
Anyone ever put one and one together that there is a connection and competition between these stores….
I stopped w/ this first in the game brand so we’re entitled to be cunts years ago. Fuck those guys. There many options around town that don’t generate that neg energy. Fuck Ike’s. Spend your weed money elsewhere imho. Cheers.
Almost like these places attract unsavory characters and crime. So strange, whodathunk.
So do Walmart and grocery stores. Let’s close them all.
Now explain why mom & pop convenience stores are frequently targeted in these same smash & grab robberies.
Is it because they attract unsavory characters and crime? It doesn’t seem like the Madrona Market (hit multiple times) or Summit Foods attract unsavory characters and crime.
Perhaps – and this might sound ludicrous – the issue isn’t marijuana, but that thieves like taking things of value? whodathunk.
It’s because they have to deal in cash only so they’re prime targets. But that doesn’t fit your narrative I suppose
Nopers…The simple economics is a mind blower!
Did you know American adults are functionally illiterate? Also? 50% of America is dumber than average.
Factor in the business side?
The quickie mart was the easiest targets for cash. Pot shops were not invented yet. Pot shops are much harder to rob. So for a while they were safe-ish…lol The “Let them use debit has been an argument before legalisation…DECADES before…lol
Then a car became simple to steal. Then a pandemic. The perfect storm. Once pot shops got wise, the cash more secure etc. The car was the key. Then the lack of enforcement IE courts and jails was the other half. You can’t just cage them and kill them via Covid pandemic. So people became better criminals. Selling weed black market in states w/o laws is simple. Even more profits than the original black market and the penalties are less.
I could go on but the bottom line is robbing a local store has cash. Some people need cash now. Jonesin’ for a hit. Some people have a network or simply stash for personal or both.
The risk reward is too good atm. But you and I already knew that.
The federal government needs to legalize banking for cannabis businesses. All cash businesses are obviously targeted because they have so much cash on hand. Under a federally legalized system, cannabis customers and businesses could use credit cards, just like they do in Canada.
Honestly surprised Ike’s got hit. I was starting to suspect the owner was behind all the robberies of his competitors.