Portland-area cannabis shops hit by 24 burglaries in 2025; prosecutors vow to take action

A crimson sedan’s driver pulls into a Portland cannabis store’s parking lot in the middle of the night.

Security camera footage reveals that as the vehicle enters the parking lot, it crashes directly into a storefront window that faces the front, sending glass fragments flying across the entrance. As another vehicle arrives, the driver of the red automobile reverses and then makes a second entry into the storefront.

Two masked people jump out of this vehicle and go into the establishment, snatching up cannabis products and putting them in backpacks. They get back in the car and leave after about three minutes.

At a press conference Thursday, law enforcement authorities expressed concern that this would not be the only smash-and-grab burglary of a cannabis shop in Portland.

About 24 cannabis businesses have been broken into this year, according to Multnomah County prosecutors and Portland police, with several of the burglars employing the same strategy of smashing cars through security gates and shop doors. Sometimes the cars are taken and then left at the company or somewhere else.

According to officials and advocates of cannabis shops, the burglaries have caused some Portland cannabis businesses to close or fire personnel, and they have made owners and staff fearful that their establishment would be the next to be targeted.

During the press conference, Jesse Bontecou, executive director of the Cannabis Industry Alliance of Oregon, stated that the repercussions have been genuine. Some businesses have gone bankrupt, and others have been destroyed.

Nathan Vasquez, the senior prosecutor in Multnomah County, referred to the current situation as a burglary ring and stated that the widespread criminal activity indicates that some individuals think they can get away with committing these kinds of crimes.

Vasquez told reporters at the Multnomah County Central Courthouse that his office will work with law enforcement and representatives of the cannabis sector to bring charges against those connected to the ring.

Two people have already been linked to some of the thefts by his office.In two of them, 27-year-old Michael Kessler has been charged. Prosecutors believe at least ten or more people have been implicated, but Manwell Castro, 37, has been charged in three more.

Castro and Kessler both pleaded not guilty on Wednesday.

Kessler is charged with stealing goods worth $15,000 to $20,000 from Southwest Portland’s Natural Remedies. In addition, authorities say he stole several marijuana plants from a company in Northeast Portland late last month after two cars allegedly crashed into the business’s side doors and another struck an electric fence.

Castro is charged with stealing in the early hours of March 24 from three distinct cannabis companies, according to court filings. Within an hour of one another, there were break-ins at Lemonnade PDX in Northeast Portland and Brothers Cannabis in Southeast Portland.

Five people sprang out of both cars and grabbed everything they could after two drivers slammed into the front of Lemonnade, a store manager previously told The Oregonian/OregonLive.

Deputy District Attorney Cody Linderholm played security camera footage from March at the press conference, showing people driving cars to smash open the garage doors of Portland cannabis dealer Self Made before going inside.

The video footage from that and two other burglaries has been made public by the district attorney’s office. Police were looking into the footage to determine whether the crimes were related, according to a spokesman for the district attorney’s office. If anyone knows the individuals involved or has any more information regarding other cannabis shop burglaries, authorities are urging the public to get in touch.

The indictments against Castro and Kessler, according to Bontecou, are a significant step in resolving the violent robberies that have rocked Oregon’s cannabis business for years. Because they deal in cash, marijuana businesses have been the target of robberies and burglaries on a regular basis.

The Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission sent out a message in March of this year warning cannabis license holders about a rise in robberies and burglaries. The Cannabis Industry Alliance of Oregon stated at the time that in addition to retailers, farmers, wholesalers, and processors were also impacted.

As of right now, prosecutors have focused on the 24 burglaries that have occurred this year, but Vasquez stated that his agency thinks there are many more. He declared that his office would pursue those responsible vigorously.

Vasquez declared, “We’re going to keep pursuing everyone.” And it would be better if we could make more cases.

For The Oregonian/OregonLive, Zaeem Shaikh writes about criminal justice problems and the Portland Police Bureau. You may contact him by X@zaeemshake, 503-221-4323, or zshaikh@oregonian.com.

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