BREMERTON, Wash. — A group of teenagers has been charged in connection to sledgehammer smash-and-grab burglaries at marijuana dispensaries in Bremerton, and charging papers say it appears the teens were involved in "numerous" other similar crimes around Puget Sound.
Three teens were arrested early Saturday morning following a police chase that ended in Gig Harbor, according to charging papers, and one suspect managed to escape.
Prosecutors said Tyree Lee, Jr. has been charged with two counts of second-degree burglary and attempting to elude a police vehicle. Jordan Johnathan-Lee Hanson was charged with two counts of second-degree burglary, according to prosecutors.
KIRO 7 is not identifying the third teenager because he's a minor.
Cannabis products, worth tens of thousands of dollars, were recovered from the getaway car that linked the teens to burglaries at two Bremerton dispensaries, charging papers said.
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Investigators said Budeez dispensary was targeted twice by thieves, two days in a row. Several days later, Pacific Cannabis Company was also targeted twice in two days, and investigators say they quickly noticed similarities in the crimes.
"We figured it was the same people after we got hit the first time," said Pacific Cannabis Company owner Kristen Waters. "It's horrible, because this is a hard industry to begin with."
Surveillance video from Pacific Cannabis Company showed several people smashing into the store around 4:16 a.m. on November 21. One person used a sledgehammer to break in through the window, and several other masked suspects followed with bags and a laundry basket.
They were in and out in several minutes.
"Destroying the shelves," said Pacific Cannabis Company employee Kassie Dugger. "Taking as much as they can."
Two days later, surveillance video showed four suspects smashing their way into Pacific Cannabis Company again. This time they used a maul, which is like a sledgehammer.
The store's window had just been replaced with reinforced glass, so the suspects were forced to smash through the front door.
"It's very shocking and devastating," said Dugger. "It's been hard on the crew."
In total, Pacific Cannabis Company said the suspects ran out with nearly $90,000 worth of Cannabis products.
Charging papers said the group was spotted in their getaway car shortly after the second Pacific Cannabis Company burglary, and a pursuit followed, involving troopers and Kitsap deputies, that ended in three arrests.
Eight hefty bags of stolen cannabis products were returned to Pacific Cannabis Company by police, and according to the store's owner, nearly all of what was stolen during the second burglary.
KIRO 7 recently reported on a smash-and-grab burglary at American Mary dispensary in Ballard. Surveillance video showed a group of teens using a sledgehammer to smash into the store and load up bags and a laundry basket with cannabis products, including concentrates and flowers.
They were in and out of the store in less than one minute.
The owner of American Mary dispensary told KIRO 7 Tuesday night he was not aware of any arrests in his case. The owner said he planned to follow up with Seattle police.
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