Violent Pot Shop Robberies On The Rise In Everett Area

January 20, 2022

Everett

Rewards are now being offered by Crimestoppers and owners of retail marijuana shops for information leading to the arrest and charges of people responsible for armed take-over robberies of retail marijuana shops. On Tuesday Bud’s Garage at the corner of Everett Avenue and Walnut was hit by three robbers who came into the store with guns drawn threatening staff and customers and taking cash and product. The owner of Bud’s Garage tells MyEverettnews.com that he is closing for the next four weeks following this second robbery in 35 days. Here are photos of suspects caught on camera in Tuesday’s robbery:
 


 
Anyone with information can anonymously call Crimestoppers of Puget Sound at 800-222-8477 or submit a tip through their website here. They are offering a one-thousand-dollar reward for information leading to an arrest and charges, but now more money is being added to encourage tips.

Tom Bout with the Cannabis Professionals Network tells MyEverettNews.com owners of marijuana businesses have collected thousands of dollars in reward money to add to the Crimestoppers fund.

Wednesday night there was another robbery of a retail marijuana store just south of Everett. Courtney O’Keefe with the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office provided the following information about that robbery which was very similar to the one in Everett Tuesday night.

Just before 11 p.m., deputies responded to a robbery with weapon at a marijuana shop in the 14200 block of Lake Rd in Lynnwood. Employees who were working reported they were robbed at gunpoint by four males wearing hooded sweatshirts. The suspects pulled the employees into a back office, held them at gunpoint and threatened to shoot them. The suspects stole cash and product from inside the store. The suspects then fled from the scene.

The victims provided the following suspect descriptions:

Suspect 1: Black male, teenager or 20s, wearing black hoodie, gray shorts with black leggings, mask, and gloves.

Suspect 2: Black male, teenager or 20s, wearing a black hoodie, black sweatpants, and white shoes.

Suspect 3: Black male, teenager or 20s, wearing a black Nike hoodie, gray sweatpants, and black/dark shoes.

Suspect 4: Black male, teenager or 20s, wearing a black/gray hoodie, gray sweatpants, and black/dark shoes.

O’Keefe tells MyEverettNews.com this remains an active investigation.

Bout says there have been at least 20 armed robberies in the past 5 to 6 weeks of retail marijuana stores, vendor delivery trucks and growers up and down I-5 between Everett and Vancouver, Washington. In a recent robbery in Shoreline, a budtender was shot.

“The Liquor and Cannabis Board is not doing enough to communicate to the store owners the magnitude of the problem,” said Bout. “They have got to provide more assistance to marijuana retailers and others in the industry who are paying a huge amount in taxes.”



About My Everett News Staff

My Everett News is a hyperlocal news website featuring news and events in Everett, Washington. We also cover City of Everett information and items of interest to those who live and work in Everett.

View all posts by My Everett News Staff