Pot shop smash-and-grabs shut down street, cause gas leak

Attempted pot shop smash-and-grab burglary shuts down Seattle street

The Reef Cannabis Store in Seattle's Capitol Hill was damaged in an attempted smash-and-grab burglary. Denny Way was shut down at Olive early Friday after damage to the building.

SEATTLE - Seattle police are investigating two attempted smash-and-grab incidents at marijuana businesses early Tuesday morning, including one at the Reef Cannabis Store in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. The incidents have raised concerns about the structural integrity of the affected buildings.

What we know:

The first attempted break-in happened around 3:30 a.m. at the intersection of Denny Way and Olive Street. The damage to the Reef Cannabis Store is significant, with multiple cracks visible at the top of the building. As a precaution, Seattle police have closed off a section of Denny Way to both vehicles and pedestrians to ensure public safety.

A second attempted break-in took place in SODO around 4 a.m. in the 1900 block of First Avenue South. In both cases, suspects arrived with multiple vehicles, attempting to ram the buildings to gain entry. However, they were unsuccessful in entering either marijuana business.

According to police, the suspects used three cars at each location. One vehicle was used to ram the building, while the suspects fled the scene in two separate cars, leaving the ramming vehicle behind. The abandoned vehicle at the Capitol Hill location has since been towed.

What's next:

Authorities are investigating whether the two incidents are connected, given the similarities in the methods used.

Police are reviewing surveillance footage from at least one of the locations to gather more information.

The section of Denny Way near Olive Street remains closed to both cars and pedestrians as the investigation continues.

No further details have been released.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

The Source: Information in this story comes from the Seattle Police Department.