LAKE WALES, Fla. – A now-former employee of a cannabis dispensary in Lake Wales was arrested after police say he stole more than 21 pounds of marijuana before his shift earlier this month. 

The backstory:

According to the Lake Wales Police Department, Kadeem Jones entered the GrowHealthy facility before his scheduled shift on July 9 and stole nearly two dozen pounds of marijuana worth $132,833.

Detectives with LWPD said they tried to get surveillance video, but when  no action was taken after eight days, they executed a search warrant at the GrowHealthy facility located at 309 South Acuff Road. 

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After reviewing footage of the incident, officers saw Jones gathering white tubes containing cannabis into a plastic container and putting the container on top of a black tub also containing cannabis. 

According to LWPD, surveillance footage shows Jones walking out of the building with the tub, placing it into a vehicle and driving away from the facility.

Upon the report, police said Jones was initially identified by Director of Compliance and Security Michael Schower through electronic logs that show where Jones scanned his badge to enter. 

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His identity was later confirmed by his supervisor, Wyatt Grooms, after reviewing the surveillance footage.

On Thursday, July 17, detectives went to Jones’s home in Dundee and arrested him for possession of cannabis with intent to sell, grand theft greater than $100,000 and possession of drug paraphernalia. 

What’s next:

Police say they have not found the missing cannabis and the investigation is still ongoing. 

LWPD said it is forwarding the investigation to the Department of Health, which is responsible for licensing businesses to cultivate, process, and dispense medical marijuana to qualified patients.