San Francisco cannabis companies were warned this week that expected July Fourth weekend protests could lead to further burglaries, akin to how some criminals targeted marijuana businesses during Black Lives Matter marches in May.
In the warning bulletin, the San Francisco Office of Cannabis wrote that “several protests” scheduled for the holiday weekend could create a “strain on police resources,” and the agency advised companies to “take necessary precautions.”
The bulletin noted that marijuana businesses are allowed to move inventory to different locations “to prevent theft during a disaster” and also included multiple police contacts, phone numbers and names of officers in case of emergency.
It also advised that businesses:
- Board up or reinforce points of entry and doors to prevent break-ins.
- Confer with security providers to enhance deterrence measures.
- Make sure video surveillance is working properly.
- Avoid confrontations with intruders and call 911 if necessary.
A spokesperson for the San Francisco Police Department wrote in an email to Marijuana Business Daily that, “at this time, we cannot confirm credible threats that speak to the targeting of cannabis dispensaries.
“We are proactively attaining and updating the emergency contact information for all businesses with storefronts that may be damaged and victimized during looting or violent protests.”
Multiple sources told MJBizDaily that similar warnings were being passed along in the cannabis business community around the San Francisco Bay Area, including Oakland.
