Phoenix Dispensary Robbed While Employees Are Inside

Phoenix Police released details on Friday about Bloom, a dispensary in Phoenix, being robbed on March 26, while employees were inside. Banks won’t work with legally operating marijuana dispensaries, so robbers know that these establishments typically have large amounts of cash on-hand.

The first thief entered through the front door and unlocked a back entrance for two additional thieves, according to the Phoenix New Times. One brought in a gun and made employees head to the back room where cash was stolen. The suspects haven’t been caught yet.

Video surveillance footage may help lead local authorities to an arrest.

Bloom isn’t alone; it turns out there have been half a dozen other robberies at Valley dispensaries in the last two months, but the crimes are oftentimes undisclosed. These incidences haven’t been confirmed by local authorities.

Marijuana industry veteran Demitri Downing said, “I am certain you will be seeing dispensaries review their security plans and increase their security.”

Arizona dispensaries are usually not ideal targets because most have advanced security systems.

Downing said, “You can pretty much be assured that if you go into a dispensary and rob it, your photo will be everywhere.”

Another dispensary owner, who was also robbed, said that Bloom’s robbery was a wake up call for him. He said, “We got off easy. When I heard about Bloom, my heart broke.”

The federal prohibition of marijuana makes banks leery of working with state-legalized marijuana businesses. Dispensaries oftentimes have to use non-marijuana industry business names to deposit cash into.

Another Arizona dispensary owner said that, “They are leaving us vulnerable with the perception that there is a lot of cash.”