DISCOVERY BAY — An investigation is underway after the North Olympic Peninsula’s first recreational marijuana retailer was burglarized, losing thousands of dollars in product.
Sea Change Cannabis on U.S.Highway 101 in Discovery Bay was burglarized last week, costing the shop roughly five pounds of product with an estimated wholesale value of $10,000.
According to owner Greg Brotherton, two burglars forced open the front door of the small shop just before 3 a.m. last Wednesday.
“It was embarrassingly easy,” Brotherton said. “It won’t be as easy next time.”
Brotherton said he received a phone call from his alarm company Wednesday and was met at the shop by three deputies from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
“I think the alarm company just alerted the sheriff’s department,” Brotherton said. “Usually they call us first.”
Detective Brett Anglin processed the scene and is currently heading the investigation, which is still underway.
Brotherton said they are looking to the public to help with the investigation.
He has posted video from his surveillance camera to his website, www.sea changecanna.biz, in an effort to identify the two male suspects.
An update from the Sheriff’s Office on the investigation was not immediately available Monday.
“We’re part of a movement to de-stigmatize cannabis, so this situation just sucks,” Brotherton said. “It feels like a step backward to have this happen.”
The two suspects stole roughly five pounds of product including pre-packaged marijuana in 1-, 3.5-, 7- and 14-ounce packages and a variety of edibles.
The estimated wholesale value of everything stolen is $10,000 and roughly $20,000 to $25,000 retail value.
“It doesn’t make sense why anyone would do this,” Brotherton said. “Every sale they make leads back to the burglary and the value on legal weed is it’s pure. Once it’s out of the package it loses value.”
The incident is especially difficult for the small shop because the insurance on the products in the shop was pulled last summer due to the shop’s size.
“We were just too small,” Brotherton said. “We still have the state mandated liability insurance but this hits pretty hard.”
Brotherton also owns the Discovery Bay Village Store, located right next to Sea Change Cannabis. The store opened in April 2014 and Brotherton opened Sea Change that July, making it the first pot shop on the Olympic Peninsula.
Since then, Brotherton has also opened the Disco Bay Detour Bar, which he hopes to turn in to an all-ages music and movie venue, and HiYu Audio.
Between his four businesses, he employs 25 people.
“Sea Change is the root that makes all this possible,” Brotherton said. “We struggle and we can use everyone’s support in this time.”
Any information regarding the burglary can be reported to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office at 360-385-3831.
________
Jefferson County Editor/Reporter Cydney McFarland can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 55052, or at cmcfarland@peninsuladailynews.com.
Greg Brotherton, owner of Sea Change Cannabis on U.S. Highway 101 in Discovery Bay, is recovering after two burglars stole roughly $10,000 of product from his shop last week. (Cydney McFarland/Peninsula Daily News)