CANNABIS CONCERNS

Armed Robbery of a Main Street Medical Marijuana Dispensary Brings
Issues into the Spotlight

The dust is settling a week after Jah Healing Caregivers, a Hesperia
medicinal marijuana dispensary, was hit by an armed robber.

Chris Tindall, the owner of the Main Street dispensary, says he is
doing what he can to assure his employees and business neighbors that
steps are being taken to prevent such crimes in the future. He is
installing a security lock door and taking other precautionary measures.

"We need to focus on how to help one another," he said.

But Frank DeLeone, who owns nearby Excessive Force Paintball, isn't
happy with the situation.

"This (dispensary) attracts riff-raff," DeLeone said. "It doesn't look
good with people loitering around the store all day long."

According to DeLeone, the number of people milling around the
dispensary is highest on weekend nights, especially Fridays.

"It's ridiculous. And you can smell it (the marijuana)."

On the morning of Wednesday, July 27, a masked man entered the
dispensary in the 14400 block of Main Street. The man forced his way
inside the business, brandished a handgun and demanded the employees
place the marijuana into a bag. After running out, the suspect got
into a white Toyota Camry with three other people inside and drove
each on Main Street, according to investigators with the San
Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.

Days later, Tindall was still angry at the perpetrators. He said he
wants the criminals who stole an estimated $3,000 to $4,000 worth of
medical marijuana from his store to be caught and punished.

"What we really need to do is crack down on this kind of
thing."

'Costing me business'

DeLeone said the dispensary is adversely affecting his paintball and
air assault equipment business, which caters to young males ages 14 to
30. Parents have expressed concern about bringing their children to
his shop and are especially reluctant to drop them off for a period of
time, he said.

A church group leader, who provides paintball equipment as a reward
for his church youth, told DeLeone he needs to get the problem
resolved or he will be forced to get his paintball supplies elsewhere.

"It's costing me business."

DeLeone said he and other business owners in the center have
approached the manager of their property requesting help to deal with
the problem.

DeLeone, who attended a recent public hearing on the issue conducted
by the Hesperia Planning Commission, is hopeful the city doesn't
approve a proposed medical marijuana dispensary ordinance. He wants
the city to shut down the estimated 11 in Hesperia currently operating
illegally.

"If they legalize this thing, the city's going to go to
pot."

But Tindall said his business donates money to worthy causes and, most
importantly, helps people get relief from a variety of health problems.

"We need to focus on how to help one another," Tindall said. "Life's
too short to be picking on each other."

According to Deputy Frank Hardin from the Hesperia station, the robber
was described as a black man about 25 years old, an estimated 5 feet
10 inches tall and weighing 170 pounds.