Burglars Steal Fake Gummies During Dispensary Smash-and-Grab

Would-be cannabis burglars who broke into the Sweet Dirt dispensary in Portland, Maine, last Friday morning ultimately smashed up some of the shop’s display cases and made off with boxes of fake gummies and display packaging, the Portland Press Herald reports.

Portland police said only display products were stolen during the botched burglary and that none of the stolen products contained THC or other cannabinoids. The suspects, two unidentified male individuals, have not been apprehended but the law enforcement investigation is ongoing, police said.

Sweet Dirt, located at 1297 Forest Avenue, said on Friday it was forced to close its Portland storefront due to “unforeseen circumstances,” according to the report.

The company’s Senior Vice President of Operations Amanda Abelmann told reporters the adult-use retailer’s actual cannabis products — and other valuable merchandise — had been locked in a safe at the time of the burglary.

Traditional banking services remain largely unavailable to cannabis industry operators due to the ongoing federal prohibition of the plant. This policy continues to push most dispensaries into doing business on a pure cash basis, which makes them prime targets for robbery. And while legal cannabis products would typically carry a high street value, the burglars may find that savvy consumers will have zero interest in the THC-free display products.