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Armed heist at unlicensed cannabis shop

Published on April 27, 2022 by Penticton Herald

An unlicensed cannabis shop on the Osoyoos Indian Band was robbed at gunpoint last week, say police.

Around 2 a.m. on April 21, two men with handguns arrived at the site on Highway 97 near Tucelnuit Road and forced a security guard into a washroom. The men then broke into two storage containers containing cannabis products.

“A number of plastic bins containing various cannabis items were taken. The security guard was not harmed, and once the suspects departed, he was able to seek assistance from a nearby person sleeping in a transport truck,” said Oliver RCMP Sgt. Don Wrigglesworth in a press release.

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“The suspects stole the security guard’s vehicle, wallet and cellphone. Police were able to locate his belongings, abandoned and undamaged on Highway 3, later in the morning.”

The matter remains under investigation and anyone with information is asked to call Const. Steve Martindale of the Oliver RCMP at 250-498-3422.

It’s at least the second criminal incident in two months involving an unlicensed pot shop in that area. In February, someone broke into The Pot Doctor business and torched the interior.

In that case, the business owner released video of the arson and offered a $1,000 reward for info that identified the culprit.

— Joe Fries