Multiple items stolen during break-in at Santa Rosa cannabis dispensary, police say

A group of individuals who broke into a Santa Rosa building Tuesday morning and stole multiple cannabis-related items had attempted to gain entry by crashing a vehicle into a warehouse door, authorities said.

Officers with the Santa Rosa Police Department responded at about 3:07 a.m. Tuesday to a building in the 1800 block of Empire Industrial Court after multiple motion detector alarms were set off, Santa Rosa police Sgt. Chris Mahurin said Wednesday.

A cannabis distribution center, which was one of the businesses inside the building, had its front doors pried open, police said. It appeared a vehicle also had crashed into the business’ roll-up door, which led to a warehouse, as well as into doors of surrounding businesses.

Multiple cannabis-related items — which police didn’t specify — were stolen from the dispensary. Police are still assessing the quantity and value of what was stolen, Mahurin said.

The surrounding businesses, including a mechanic shop, suffered vandalism to their facilities, but no items were stolen, Mahurin said.

Surveillance footage from the dispensary showed about six to eight people arrived at the building around 3 a.m. in two vehicles, a gray Mercedes sedan with tinted windows and a white Chevrolet SUV. They ranged from about 16 to 25 years old and all wore face-obscuring masks, along with gloves and hoodies, police said.

After breaking into the dispensary, the suspects got into their vehicles and fled, police said. No one was inside the businesses at the time.

Mahurin said police are not sure if the incident was gang-related and no arrests have yet been made.

The Santa Rosa Police Department is encouraging anyone who witnessed the incident or has information to assist with the investigation to contact the department through its online Tip Line at srcity.org/CrimeTips.

A reward of up to $2,500 is being offered by the Sonoma County Alliance Community Engagement and Safety Rewards Fund for any information leading to the arrest of the suspects.

You can reach Staff Writer Madison Smalstig at madison.smalstig@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @madi.smals.