OLYMPIA, Wash. — Suspects who rely on a common trend of using a vehicle to smash into a cannabis business during a robbery could soon face stiffer punishments under a Senate bill proposal.
SB 6133 passed through the Senate Law and Justice Committee on Tuesday and now heads to the Rules Committee before it can be heard by the full Senate.
The bill would add a year to the sentence of anyone convicted of robbery in the first or second degree at a pot shop. For the added time to apply, it must be proven the retail outlet was licensed, the individual used a vehicle to access the building, or they committed the crime with one or more people.
The bill was introduced by Senator Jim McCune, who represents parts of Thurston and Pierce counties.
“I believe that the tougher the penalty, the less the crime,” said Senator Jim McCune. "Protecting the citizens and the pot shop owners and their employees, and overall slow down crime. Now, that's what the bill is all about.”
Although this bill is focused on pot shops, McCune said he has plans to try for similar legislation to apply to all types of businesses.
No official count of pot shop robberies is kept by law enforcement, but an unofficial log maintained by a chain of cannabis businesses in western Washington shows over 100 robberies in the last 12 months.
A stolen KIA was used to smash into a Shoreline pot shop on Jan. 2, after which suspects went in and stole an undisclosed amount of cash and products - an example of the worrying trend.
It's a trend that the Green Lady dispensary in Lynnwood has experienced firsthand.
"They came through the rear side of the building in February of last year, so February 2023. And then the second hit was through the front, and that was in November of 2023," said Layla Jordan, the executive assistant at Green Lady.
In addition to their Lynnwood dispensary being targeted twice this past year, one of their Olympia locations was also hit twice this past year. She said they spent hundreds of thousands of dollars dealing with these crimes.
"Anytime my phone goes off at 3 a.m., I'm like, 'Oh no, did we get hit again?'" said Jordan.
As the bill moves forward, Jordan said she is not confident it will make a difference but is hopeful and grateful lawmakers are paying attention.
"In theory, it would help, but the people who are performing these acts, I don't think they have any regard for the law," said Jordan. "So, I'm not sure if it'll make a difference. But it's still, it's a nice thought."
KING 5 also spoke to the general manager of the American Mary dispensary in Wallingford, which has been a victim of this type of crime as well. The manager said that he thinks harsher penalties are needed but that most of the time, the people committing the crimes don't get caught.
Sen. Karen Keiser is cosponsoring the bill with Senator McCune. She sent KING 5a statement that said, in part:
“We have to interrupt the cycle of these robberies that use what are often stolen vehicles to smash doors and grab products or cash, many times in the same stores over and over. SB 6133 would help protect these small businesses."
Keiser has also proposed a grant program to help cannabis businesses and other establishments with security. Keiser said the money could be used for things like bollards, security cameras, or anything else that could deter would-be burglars from crashing into a business.
"Just a straight grant to small businesses, small storefronts not limited to cannabis dispensaries," Keiser said earlier in January. "Convenience stores, sports cards or whatever else seems to be a target. They're [bollards] not that expensive. We should be able to help small businesses who can't afford that kind of expense."
Keiser's plan would be part of the budget. While an amount has not been set, she speculated the range could be between $500-$1,000 per small business.
The bill proposal was discussed in a public hearing on Monday and passed through the Senate Law and Justice Committee on Tuesday.