Police searching for suspects in armed pot shop robbery – KIRO 7 News Seattle

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SEATTLE – Police are looking for at least four men between their late teens and early twenties suspected of robbing a pot shop in West Seattle at gunpoint on July 19.

Seattle police said the suspects pulled guns on three employees and a customer at around 11:30 p.m. in Canna West Seattle, located on block 5400 on California Avenue Southwest. According to the police, the victims are said to have been advised to lie down on the ground.

Police said the men stole $ 14,000 of marijuana, $ 2,500 in cash, and stole the victims’ cell phones before they fled. You may have escaped in an older silver limousine.

Anyone who recognizes the men or has information about the robbery is asked to call the police robbery unit at 206-684-5535 or 911.

Tricia Topping, a manager at Canna West Seattle, said she lived on the street from work and received a call from one of the budget tenders the night of the robbery.

“At the same time, my budtender called me with one hand and called the police with the other,” said Topping. “I put on my shoes and got here when the police did. (The victims) were all trying to help me clean and I said, ‘No. You have to go home. ‘ You were in a much better place than I thought. I would have been shaken up. ”

One of the employees / victims of the robbery was back at the pharmacy but, for security reasons, did not feel comfortable standing in front of the camera.

Topping said the robbers appeared young and disorganized, and even requested conflicting orders from the victims.

“You can’t do that with your gun drawn and tell people to do different things,” she said. “They spilled marijuana all the way up the front alley.”

Steven Smith, who works as a budtender at the pharmacy, worked that night but left early. He also spoke about the hectic nature of crime.

“It was one of the few times I went home early this year and I think you can tell I was lucky,” said Smith. “It’s awful. I see my friends and co-workers go down with guns in their faces. … (The robbers) told a person to do something like, ‘Get the money out of the cash register.’ Then the other person says, ‘What are you doing? On the floor!’ Such misunderstandings? It’s life or death. ”

Both Smith and Topping said robbery was an unfortunate opportunity in the cannabis industry as the federal government still views cannabis as an illegal narcotic.

“We’re a cash-only business and everyone knows because if you want to pay with a credit card, Apple Pay or Cash app or whatever, your answer is, ‘No. We’re a cash only business. ‘ Well what kind of advertisement is that? We are a pure cash business. Then it becomes really very difficult. It’s the Wild West out here, ”said Topping.

“When you work in this industry, it is always in the back of your mind that something like this can happen,” said Smith. “So it’s not about whether. It’s when.”

“Having less money in the building by using credits? That would be great, ”said Topping. “You have certain rules that you have to follow. But sometimes these rules make it really difficult for us and make it a more dangerous job. … getting this stuff back – we already know it won’t happen. Until we are repealed by the federal government, these (stolen) things cannot be covered for us. ”

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