Keizer Police Seek Marijuana Plant Thieves

The stolen medical marijuana plants were almost ready to be harvested, and the estimated total value was approximately $15,000.

(KEIZER, Ore.) - Keizer Police officers were called out to a report of an armed person this morning at about 4:30 AM, on Newberg Drive North. Dispatchers say an unidentified male had called 911 to report a that neighbor he identified as “Anthony” had a gun in the backyard of his residence.

Keizer Police Captain Jeff Kuhns says officers responded to the area where at least one of them thought he heard a gunshot in the vicinity of McNary High School, near Chemawa Road North.

McNary High School and 5152 Newberg Drive North share a common property line. Kuhns says both properties are separated by a cyclone fence.

Officers made contact with Anthony Beasley at his home on Newberg Drive, Kuhns says, and told him they received the report about an armed person. "Mr. Beasley denied possessing or discharging any firearms. He gave officers consent to search his residence and surrounding property and no firearms or evidence thereof was located." Kuhns says that as a result of that serch, no criminal action was taken over the report of an armed person.

While on scene, Kuhns says Beasley told officers he had nine mature medical marijuana plants that were taken from the backyard of his residence a few hours earlier. Specifically, he said he believed the theft occurred some time between 11:00 PM and midnight.

Kuhns says officers were familiar with Mr. Beasley and the fact he was growing twenty-four mature medical marijuana plants adjacent to McNary High School. At least one of the officers had responded to an unrelated disturbance at this location on September 15th.

"It was during that investigation officers learned Mr. Beasley was growing medical marijuana for himself," Kuhns said, and three other Oregon medical marijuana card holders.

He says the plants were visible from the McNary High School parking lot on September 15th, "however since that time a tarp was erected obscuring the plants from view of the school and public parking lot. The investigating officers believed Mr. Beasley was in compliance with Oregon Medical Marijuana statutes and no enforcement action was taken."

The stolen marijuana plants were approximately four feet tall and were almost ready to be harvested. Beasley estimated the total value of the plants to be somewhere in the neighborhood of $15,000.