Over twenty people arrested in connection with multiple cannabis burglaries in nine California counties including San Luis Obispo
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY, Calif. – The California Department of Justice arrested and charged 22 people in connection with at least 15 thefts from cannabis-related businesses including a burglary in San Luis Obispo in January of this year.
On Jan. 16, deputies were dispatched for a reported burglary in progress at a cannabis processing plant in northern San Luis Obispo County after witnesses said at least seven people running out of the business with bags of marijuana stated the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office in a press release Monday.
According to the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office, the reported suspects had a fled the area prior to the arrival of deputies.
Arriving deputies did discover at least 500 pounds of processed and packaged marijuana had been stolen and a safe had been broken into with an estimated loss of $500,000 detailed the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office.
A detective with the Sheriff's Office Cannabis Compliance Team discovered a similar crime had happened in San Jose during a follow-up investigation and eventually learned about a California Department of Justice investigation into a group of Oakland-based gang members targeting cannabis-related facilities explained the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office.
The organized criminal group allegedly would meet at a predetermined location, proceed to the target businesses, and break in overnight during non-business hours detailed the California Department of Justice in a press release about the arrests.
According to the California Department of Justice, 22 people were identified and connected to at least 15 dispensary burglaries in nine different counties and their investigation culminated on July 17, 2024, when as series of search and arrest warrants were executed by the Oakland Police Department, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office, and the California Highway Patrol.
"The California Department of Justice is committed to rooting out organized retail crime in all its forms," said Attorney General Rob Bonta. "This announcement sends a clear message to would-be thieves: Organized retail crime will not be tolerated in California because it costs businesses, retailers, and consumers. I want to thank our law enforcement partners for their work in apprehending these suspects, and for our continued collaborative efforts to end crime in our state. With these charges, we’re moving forward to hold these defendants responsible for their crimes."
That joint operation resulted in multiple arrests and the seizure of over 50 pounds of cannabis shared the California Department of Justice.
On July 22, criminal charges were filed against 22 people including commercial burglary, grand theft, organized retail theft, and conspiracy.
"This work demonstrates that crossing into another jurisdiction doesn’t exempt you from accountability for crimes committed here or anywhere else," said Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart. "These burglaries are damaging the livelihoods of law-abiding business owners, and we will not tolerate it. Our detectives have done outstanding work on these cases, and with the help and collaboration of over a dozen other agencies, these individuals will now have to answer for their crimes."
According to the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office, 13 of those 22 people charged in the statewide investigation are connected to the January burglary in San Luis Obispo County.
