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Ninjas Rob Medical Marijuana Deliveryman in California

By Andrew Chow, Esq. on March 27, 2012 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

A medical marijuana deliveryman lost a bag of cash and pot Friday night, when he was robbed by two men dressed as ninjas and armed with batons, police said.

The masked ninjas confronted the deliveryman outside an apartment building in West Covina, Calif., about 20 miles east of Los Angeles, KNX radio reports. The ninjas used white batons called tong fa to intimidate the deliveryman, who dropped his bag of marijuana and cash and ran off, police said.

The ninja robbers remain on the loose. And though marijuana remains illegal under federal law, the deliveryman likely won't face charges.

That's because California law appears to allow for medical marijuana delivery services if they aren't prohibited by local laws, according to KPCC public radio. State law protects patients from prosecution for "possession, transportation, delivery, or cultivation of medical marijuana" within legal limits.

West Covina's municipal code does not mention medical marijuana delivery services. So if the deliveryman has the proper paperwork to prove he's a member of a nonprofit medical marijuana cooperative, he likely won't face legal consequences.

The ninjas, on the other hand, will likely face robbery charges if caught. Robbery involves the use of force or threats to commit a theft of money or property. The ninjas' use of batons in a threatening manner may suffice.

The ninjas could also possibly face charges of conspiracy to commit robbery. In a conspiracy, at least two people must agree to commit an unlawful act like robbery, and take some step toward the unlawful act's completion.

The ninja marijuana robbery suspects are described as thin men in their 20s who stand about 5-foot-8. Police are not disclosing how much cash or pot were taken.

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