Two Waterdown cannabis dispensaries experienced what one owner called “a very Canadian crime” in late August when, she says, two men used a hockey stick to break into Tokyo Smoke.
The owner of the Clappison's Corners store, who asked to only be called by her first name, Jess, said footage from the night of the break-in showed a suspect smashing the store’s front window with a hockey stick before grabbing what he could.
Jess said the store's cannabis is held in a safe area, so the suspect took mostly merchandise that was sitting out on the floor. By late afternoon the next day, Jess said, the store was cleaned up and open for business, but the front windows were damaged.
Spirit Leaf Cannabis on Hamilton Street North was also broken into on Tuesday Aug. 20. Its owner was not available for comment.
Hamilton Police confirmed that 25-year-old Jacob Benford, from Hamilton, and an unnamed 16-year-old male, from Burlington, were arrested in relation to the break-ins on Wednesday, Sept. 11.
Police say that when they were attempting to arrest Benford on Monday, Sept. 9, the 25-year-old "rammed a marked police vehicle while fleeing from a traffic stop."
He faces the following charges:
- Break and Enter – Commit
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5,000
- 16 Counts of Fail to Comply with Probation (Adult)
- Three Counts of Operation While Prohibited
- Possession of Burglary Tools
- Dangerous Operation
- Flight from Peace Officer
- Failure to Stop After an Accident
The 16-year-old suspect was charged with:
- Break and Enter – Commit
- Two Counts of Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Over $5,000
- Two Counts of Mischief Over $5,000
- Theft Over $5,000
An employee from Grass Station cannabis dispensary on Dundas Street East, said the store was not broken into on the same night, but he said the store was broken into two weeks earlier. Police did not say if it was related to the Aug. 20 break-ins.
