POT SHOP OWNER MAY CLOSE DOORS DUE TO ROBBERY

The Marijuana Party of Alberta may have to shut down its Edmonton office
after the party leader's pot paraphernalia shop was robbed and he was
duct-taped to a chair.

On Saturday at about 3 a.m., two women and three men allegedly showed up at
the High Spirit Variety Store armed with an axe, a machete and a knife.

Ken Kirk said he was still at the 10253 97 St. store surfing the Internet
when the break-in happened.

"I was thinking about my three-month-old baby girl and how I wanted to stay
alive for her, for my partner and my two adult children," he said yesterday.

"I'm still shook up over it and shaking like a leaf."

Kirk said the bandits grabbed him, duct-taped him to a chair, hit him and
threatened to kill him if he told anyone.

He said the thieves stole everything from the display cases in his store -
pipes, bongs, jewelry and papers.

Kirk said that after they fled the scene, he hopped over to a nearby table
and grabbed a chisel to cut himself free.

"They were stupid enough to leave the chair in front of a table with a
chisel on it. I got the chisel in between my hands and undid the tape."

Kirk said he then called the cops who are still investigating. Police are
still looking for the suspects.

Because the store had no insurance, Kirk says he'll have to shut down the
party's office, which was at the back of the store. He explained the
profits from the store were used to pay the office's rent.

"This is going to put us under."

Kirk said he hopes members of the party will be generous enough to make
some donations to keep the store open. He's also looking for volunteers to
assist with security.