A Twist on Crooks Masquerading as Cops

Twist

A new variation on crooks masquerading as cops (here and here are others) apparently has happened  recently and locally at least once.

The scenario goes roughly like this. Someone knocks on the motel door demanding, “Security! Open up now!”

When the occupant opens the door, he is faced with a gun. After being thoroughly intimidated, he is told that they know he has weed, “Where is it?” In a small room, they quickly gain access to it and leave.

One person I heard about lost over 30 pounds of processed pot.

Whatever you think of marijuana, whenever something like this happens, society as a whole would be better served if there was a mechanism for turning in the culprits without the grower facing any penalties.

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silverstar98121
Guest
15 years ago

Let me see, a guy growing pot vs. a guy doing an armed robbery. I’ll take the guy with the pot. I agree with you, the cops should pursue this without the victim facing charges. But the way it is now, nothing will happen until there is a murder out of it. Stupid.

thegnukid
Guest
15 years ago

how about turning the culprit back over to the grower? and then avert your eyes to all charges that may occur? yep…

Ernie's Place (Branscomb)
Guest

The outlaws lament, Why can’t you have your cake and eat it too? The very thing that makes weed valuable is the thing that makes growing it risky. Reduce the risk and reduce the value.

Most growers know how to take care of themselves. That’s why most of them are armed, and that’s why some people disappear. It’s called frontier justice. It’s one of the reasons that some people don’t traffic weed. Risk equals value. You can’t have your cake and eat it too…Hey wait, this is where I came in.

Rose
Guest
15 years ago

A. How does the crook KNOW that the guy in the motel room has dope? Has he followed him there? Has someone tipped him off? Or is this just a random act, fishing for someone who does?

B. Knowing this is possible and happening, why would you open the door? And would you have the ‘stuff’ with you in the room?

Raincrow
Guest
15 years ago

Rose wrote:

“How does the crook KNOW that the guy in the motel room has dope? Has he followed him there? Has someone tipped him off? Or is this just a random act, fishing for someone who does?”

This has to be the worst aspect of being in that business, as the thief is almost inevitably someone known to the grower. Occasionally, you see a case where some random gangster gatecrashs someone’s house, but most of the rip offs are inside jobs. Some folks aren’t careful about who they surround themselves with and they pay a high price for their inattention.

An example.

A few years ago, a male acquaintance of mine got taken for everything by a female trimmer he was boinking during the harvest frenzy. He went to the store for supplies and when he returned, she had packed everything in her car and split. Ugh. But here’s the real kicker: I stop by this guy’s place the following year and, lo and behold, there sets Ripperella trimming dude’s new crop. Farmerman did a little song and dance about how it was all just a misunderstanding, he eventually got most of his stuff back, she was really just a cool person who was confused.

Yeah right, pounds of weed landed in Ripperella’s trunk and magically drove itself to the Bay area, all because she couldn’t understand that it’s wrong (and dangerous) to steal from other people.

All I could do was look at him and say “You’re a dumbass.”

Staff
Member
15 years ago

Ernie’s right, most of the value of pot is the risk involved. Taking out risk, takes out value. However, we need to weigh the consequences to society. When people have no other recourse but Gnukid’s–the grower using violence back-then our area, in fact, our world, is inevitably going to get uglier and innocents are going to get hurt.

Rose, you asked a good question and Raincrow answered you well. I would add that sometimes it isn’t the person you know but who the person you know told. Did one of your trimmers tell a “friend?”

Why someone had the stuff with him is anybody’s guess but probably he was doing a deal. Why would he open the door? The same reason all of us get in cars even though thousands die in accidents–the odds are in your favor. He can’t get money for pot that is still hidden. He has to take a chance and meet a dealer.

Raincrow, It is my opinion that most growers are optimists and risk takers by nature. This makes them fun to be around but does sometimes lead to strange behavior–(BTW, Ripperella is my choice for new marijuana related word of the year. I’m still smirking!)

Raincrow
Guest
15 years ago

Yeah, in general, they’re fun and harmless folks and I do agree with your observation that farmers are risk takers by nature. As for tales about strange behavior, here’s one I should write about on my own blog, but here it is anyways:

I once had a farmer friend who was being blackmailed by his ex in the middle of harvest (and for a boob job…how cliche). One night after he had ingested an impossibly large amount of mushrooms, I found him in the living room by the fireplace, mumbling fiercely and feeding something into the fire. I was a bit concerned, as he was high as a kite, so I edged around to see what he was doing. It turned out he was feeding $100 bills into the fire a handful at a time, muttering under his breath about how the money was ruining his life. I was both shocked and saddened, so I gently led him away from the fire towards a cup of chamomile tea and a long discussion about the vagaries of life.

Hee hee, Ripperella is kinda catchy, no? Even better, I actually made that one up spontaneously while posting that reply. Maybe there’s hope for me as a writer after all =)

BTW good to see you’re up and running again, Kym!

sohumborn
Guest
15 years ago

I think some version of this takes place at least once a year, that I hear of. I can’t begin to guess at what doesn’t make it to my ears.
I was watching a news program once, that had a story of a gas station robbery where the clerk was shot and killed. I remember being so shocked when I found out that the robber had done it for $300. If there are people willing to take a life for $300, how can anyone feel safe doing a deal worth the kind of money we see here?
It makes me sad when this kind of behavior is brought into our community by the very thing that sustains it.

Rose
Guest
15 years ago

Ok, here’s another question – and it has to do with medical properties and price – I hear alot about how today’s pot is much much more powerful than that which was smoked in the 70s – and that is because now it is all bud, right? Or wrong?

Back in the 70s, people smoking pot smoked leaves mostly, til it was discovered or decided that buds were better, then the whole thing became about selecting the females, killing the males, and nurturing the buds, so it makes sense to me that that is the reason why things are more potent now.

Also more expensive. Even though it is supposed to be medicinal, there’s no price break for truly ill people, not even from the clinics, who have to sell at street price, or find people buying from them to mark up and sell on the street (see DT, I was listening)

My question is – if the old pot had the THC, and that’s what the “medicine” is supposed to be – why isn’t that what’s grown and used (cheaper) at the clinics?

Because this boutique stuff is more like fine wines, and nothing to do with “medicine.” Seems to me anyway. Am I wrong?

And if it is about helping people show are ill, why not make it cheap or nearly free?

Raincrow
Guest
15 years ago

Medical marijuana isn’t cheap or free because the clinics and providers have operating overhead, just like any other business. Marijuana doesn’t grow itself. It takes land, fertilizer, water tanks and systems,labor, electricity, etc. The dispensaries have to pay the rent and electric bill like everyone else. So I don’t understand why people think medical marijuana should be free. Dow and Lilly don’t give their product away, so why should HumCo farmers? It’s a cruel system, to say the least, but that’s how capitalism works.

The down side, of course, is that there’s a ton of fake 215ers out there who are just using the law to maintain a quasi-legal front to avoid prosecution (IMO, probably 6 out of every 10 medical growers ). They have no intention of trying to reduce the price and, as a matter of fact, they cry their eyes out at the low prices they’re getting now that the 215ers have flooded the market.

I luv me some weed, but the whole 215 thing is a joke and needs to be revamped to protect the rights of those who really need it for medicine.

Rose
Guest
15 years ago

I agree that 215 is a ridiculous joke.

kaivalya
Guest
15 years ago

I’ve heard a least two stories of police impersonation in the last year as well. Prime example of how criminalization only promotes further criminal activity.

IF pot were legal, there wouldn’t be the same kind of fear and intimidation of police which couldn’t be exploited by the criminally violent.

When I lived near California’s southern border there were problems with undocumented workers (illegal immigrants) being kidnapped and their families extorted for money. Often these undocumented people were tortured until their families south of the border would put up a sufficient amount of cash. If these immigrants weren’t criminalized coming into our country, their families wouldn’t fear contacting American authorities for assistance – instead the problem persists without much American attention. Just a parallel that resonated with me…

Joe Blow
Guest
15 years ago

Whatever you think of marijuana, whenever something like this happens, society as a whole would be better served if there was a mechanism for turning in the culprits without the grower facing any penalties.

Is this a joke?

When all else fails, we’ve always got “frontier justice.” Right?

Elizabeth
Guest
Elizabeth
15 years ago

I’m trying and trying to figure that car out! Is it a unique shape, or a trick of the light?!

Staff
Member
15 years ago

Rose, If marijuana were legal, it could be as free as homegrown tomatoes (though most people would still purchase it much the same as people buy Grey Goose Vodka rather than make bathtub gin) but as Ernie pointed out there is a cost for its illegality and unfortunately, the cost is born by society–patients have to pay inflated prices, violence escalates as victims are forced to, as Joe says, get “frontier justice,” and people smoke anyway. BTW, my understanding is that the cannibanoids (sp?) are what make the medicine and THC makes you high.

Raincrow, thanks for the good answer. I’ve been puzzling over the 215. On the one hand, I think marijuana should be legal. Why not let many people get a 215 and just have marijuana be more socially acceptable by its very abundance and presence in society. On the other hand, I don’t like making patients suffer at all.

Kaivlya, I think the analogy you draw between illegal immigrants and illegal drugs is very apt and we are paying a price for criminalizing natural acts such as intoxication and moving to the place that best allows you to provide for your family.

Joe, I’m just beginning to be aware of an upswing in violence around here. I’m worried that “frontier justice” is going to become more prevalent in response–lots of people can get hurt if that kind of reaction becomes more acceptable.

Staff
Member
15 years ago

Elizabeth, the car is just a regular sheriff’s vehicle but I imported the image to Photobucket and played;>

Maggie
Guest
15 years ago

The twisting reminds me a little bit of kidpix. It always makes the car kinda look like a racing car from the future or speed racer.

Joe Blow
Guest
15 years ago

“Joe, I’m just beginning to be aware of an upswing in violence around here. I’m worried that “frontier justice” is going to become more prevalent in response–lots of people can get hurt if that kind of reaction becomes more acceptable.”

Kym, I was trying to be sarcastic.

My question regarding your statement, “Is this a Joke,” was not.

Whatever you think of marijuana, whenever something like this happens, society as a whole would be better served if there was a mechanism for turning in the culprits without the grower facing any penalties.

Staff
Member
15 years ago

Whoops, Sorry, Joe!

steve ukiah
Guest
steve ukiah
15 years ago

were the common sense in you alls comments be a computer not a voice of nonsense

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[…] Rumors of an armed robbery involving someone pretending to be motel security have been discussed here before. The Times Standard lists an astonishing series of articles about home invasions here and, […]