Herbal 'highs' thieves outwit security system

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Wednesday, December 10, 2008
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This is Exeter

A BUSINESS specialising in legally selling cannabis seeds and herbal 'highs' has been clobbered by raiders for the second time in just over a year.

This time thieves broke in through a window of Totnes Hemp and stole up to £4,000 worth of herbal concoctions which are sold all over the world.

In October last year thieves stole around £12,000 worth of various seeds, including £2,000 worth of cannabis seeds, after causing £900 worth of damage breaking in through the front door.

Since then the company has installed sophisticated security equipment including alarms.

This time, the thieves got in through a second storey window some time between 3pm on Monday and 3.05am on Tuesday morning when an alarm at the building on the Babbage Road industrial estate was triggered.

Owner Chris Bovey said that the window had been thought to have been a low risk for burglars but someone had left some big containers below the window along with a ladder.

He said the company would now be reviewing its security all over again.

"We are alarmed and we believe they were disturbed," he said.

"They cleared a shelf but at the moment we are not sure exactly how much has gone because we have been asked not to touch anything before the fingerprint guys have been."

Totnes Hemp imports cannabis seeds mainly from Holland and legally sells them from its industrial estate premises where it has been based for the last three years.

The company has its own website advertising pot seeds along with 'legal highs', cacti, books, mushrooms and 'after party' products such as 'come down kits for clubbers and party animals'.

Mr Bovey explained much of the company business is mail order and its herbal highs are sold wholesale all over the world — including Russia, USA, Germany and Romania.

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12 Comments

  • Profile image for This is Exeter

    by RIC, HERE

    Sunday, January 04 2009, 9:06PM

    “LIGHT UP AND LIVE MAN”

  • Profile image for This is Exeter

    by John, Synchronium.net

    Friday, January 02 2009, 3:06PM

    “Sorry to hear about this. I hope these kids scare the crap out of themselves with some salvia...”

  • Profile image for This is Exeter

    by Totnesian, Totnes

    Friday, December 12 2008, 8:34AM

    “Thank you Gareth! When you say "Not all alcohol users are violent drunks in the same way that not all stoners have paranoid psychotic tendancies." You are actually writing the first accurate and balanced argument on the page. Not all drinkers attack people and smash stuff up and not all weed smokers lie around all day doing nothing and sponging off the dole.
    Of course there are people who will take their habbits to extremes to ruin it for everyone else in both cases but that is the sad truth in any walk of life.
    Both alcohol and marajuana have positive and negative aspects to their use depending on whether they are used in moderation or abused.”

  • Profile image for This is Exeter

    by Gareth, Plainmoor.

    Thursday, December 11 2008, 4:31PM

    “Ed,
    Why do you assume that TOtnesian is angry and in need of calming down? His opinion is shared by many, including myself. If he is running a legal business the smoking cannabis has nothing to do with this discussion as Im sure you aware that the cultivation of cannabis is illeagal and therefore not condoned by Mr Bovey in any way. Its also fairly typical for illeagal drug users to condone their habits by comparing alcohol to cannabis. Not all alcohol users are violent drunks in the same way that not all stoners have paranoid psychotic tendancies.”

  • Profile image for This is Exeter

    by Ed, UK

    Thursday, December 11 2008, 3:50PM

    “To T0tnesian: Chris Bovey is a respectable businessman engaged in perfectly legal sales practices. He encourages nobody to do anything, he merely runs a a shop.

    If you really do think there is something sinister about what Mr. Bovey does, then I am sure you must feel the same way about supermarkets, off-licenses and tobacconists selling what government has acknowledged are the most lethal drugs there are: tobacco and alcohol.

    But even worse than that - I simply can't imagine how high your blood pressure must get due to the anger you must feel when you think of those shops which continue to sell wine-making kits and beer-brewing equipment.

    Perhaps you could do with smoking some cannabis to help you calm down?”

  • Profile image for This is Exeter

    by Gareth, Plainmoor

    Thursday, December 11 2008, 2:29PM

    “I wonder why the use of mind altering drugs (legal or otherwise) seems to go hand in hand with the conspiracy theory believers. Paranioa perhaps?”

  • Profile image for This is Exeter

    by Totnesian, Totnes

    Thursday, December 11 2008, 2:20PM

    “I wonder people would be as unsympathetic if a Totnes pub were to be broken into and have its booze nicked, as legal alcohol is far more dangerous than any of the products Totnes Hemp sells.”

  • Profile image for This is Exeter

    by Gareth, Plainmoor

    Thursday, December 11 2008, 1:13PM

    “What a terrible shame. Now all of the space cadets will have do something usefull with their day instead of getting twisted. I suspect Paignton zoo will be over run with hippies trying to lick the toads in the amphibious reptile display.”

  • Profile image for This is Exeter

    by Totnesian, Totnes

    Thursday, December 11 2008, 10:54AM

    “I wonder what Totnesian must have been taking if he actually believes the official version of events regarding 9/11?

    I've no doubt the American Government were behind 9/11. As for this sad attack on a legitimate business that employs local people, probably thieves who the police stand little chance of catching.”

  • Profile image for This is Exeter

    by Totnesian, Totnes

    Thursday, December 11 2008, 9:28AM

    “It deeply saddens me that this kind of thieving is happening here in Totnes :(

    I hope they catch the guys that did it before they wreck anyones Christmas by breaking into a house!

    I wish D+C Constabulary every luck in their detective work.”

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