SEATTLE — Seattle Police (SPD) are investigating two instances of an early morning smash-and-grab attempted burglaries at different pot shops.
The first incident occurred around 3:40 a.m. at The Reef Cannabis in Capitol Hill, on the corner of Denny Way and E Olive Way. According to SPD, three vehicles arrived at the scene. One was used to smash into the building, but the suspects were not able to get inside.
The suspects then drove off in two separate vehicles.
“It’s very discouraging. We’ve rebuilt over and over it’s just it’s getting to a point [where] I don’t know how anybody runs a business,” said David Olivas, the operations manager at Reef’s Capitol Hill location.
He watched the surveillance video and saw a familiar pattern.
“They were just kind of casually standing around in the intersection with bags waiting to gain access while one car backed up and rammed the building over and over and over,” Olivas said.
The car ramming into the building may have been a fatal blow to the business.
SPD is asking people to avoid the area as the damage caused may have made the building structurally unsound. The area of Denny Way, Summit Ave and E Olive Way will be shut down until further notice as a safety precaution.
Crews will evaluate the business to see if it needs to close long-term for safety concerns.
The second incident occurred around 4:10 a.m. at Green Fire Cannabis in Seattle’s SODO neighborhood. Again, three vehicles pulled up to the scene, and one of them was used to smash into the building.
SPD told KIRO 7 that the suspects were unable to make it past the second set of doors in Green Fire, so they drove off in two other vehicles, leaving the scene.
The suspects hit a gas line, and Seattle Fire made sure the building was safe before police entered.
One man who works near Green Fire says the store has been hit repeatedly, and its location adds to the problem.
“It’s just part of the neighborhood it happens all over the city. I have taken measures in my building to make sure they don’t come here.”
It’s unclear if these instances are connected.
SPD says multiple suspects are involved, though it’s unclear how many at this time.
This is a developing story.
KIRO 7 will have more information as it becomes available.
©2025 Cox Media Group
