Think Outside the Cage: Pot Dispensary Burglarized

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Thursday, November 20, 2008

Pot Dispensary Burglarized

BY NATE TAYLOR
NateTaylor @coloradoan.com

A man who operates a medical marijuana dispensary in Fort Collins says his home has been burglarized or vandalized nine times in the past month, and on Sunday he confronted the burglars who fired a gun in his direction.

James Masters also said $40,000 worth of marijuana was destroyed at his greenhouse and might cause him to close down his dispensary.

"They burglarized the shop at the beginning of October and cut down plants in the green house," Masters said. "They destroyed $40,000 worth of pot that was supposed to go to medical patients who have been waiting incredibly patiently."

Masters said the burglars attempted to enter his home through a sliding glass door about 7:30 p.m. Sunday but were scared off by an alarm. He said the burglars returned about three hours later; he tried to spray them with Mace outside his home, and one of them fired a gun.

Masters said he has since tried to purchase a gun for protection and is hoping police can help him relocate his family to a different home.

"After having a .45-caliber bullet whiz past your head, you have a different opinion about the Second Amendment," Masters said.

He also said his family is currently living with his wife Lisa's family in Chicago.

Fort Collins police Investigator David Grant said Masters has only filed one incident report, which followed Sunday's attempted break-in.

"We are actively working on this case, and it's under investigation," Grant said, adding that nothing was reported stolen.

Masters said his experience with police has been a positive one, which he wasn't necessarily expecting following his threat to sue the city for the destruction of his marijuana plants seized after he and his wife were arrested in August 2006.

The Coloradoan