Masked suspects rob Santa Cruz County pot shops

Suspects wearing a Spiderman mask and a presidential mask were caught on video attempting to break into a marijuana dispensary early Monday morning, Santa Cruz authorities said. It sounds almost straight out of a movie.

Granny Purps in Aptos was one of the businesses hit overnight. Owner J.D. Black said two vandals tried to break in his shop and they have surveillance video of the whole thing. He said this wasn’t the first time someone’s tried to break-in.

It all was caught on surveillance at about 2:20 a.m. Monday, where two people tried to break a door in with a rock. It didn’t work and they then tried to get in through a window, leaving finger prints behind. Soon after the two gave up and left.

Since the first burglary attempts he’s invested in new outdoor lights, and surveillance. They even have bullet proof windows and an alarm system, but that doesn’t seem to stop them from trying.

“They’ve been here before, they’ve tried to mess with our cameras. They’re just little cowards basically that try to take what they want and people like that end up in jail where they belong,” Black said.

This wasn’t the only incident involving a local medical marijuana business overnight. At Green Acres, a rock was thrown through the front window of the business. Nothing was taken. But the owner said it’s a personal matter and he’s not planning to file a police report.

Police do have a description of the suspects in the Granny Purps incident. The first suspect was wearing a gray raiders hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans, gray backpack, and a Spiderman mask. The second suspect was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, khaki shorts, gray backpack, and a presidential “Point Break” style mask.

Workers at Granny Purps said they’re confident that the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office will find the two involved.