The robbery of a Skid Row medical marijuana dispensary this week was one of five such crimes downtown in the last 18 months, police told blogdowntown.

“I know of 14 clinics just in downtown Los Angeles, and five were robbed in the last 18 months,” Lt. Paul Vernon, head of Central Division detectives, told the site. Robbers at City Compassionate Caregivers, 606 E. Fourth St., got away with $1,200, a laptop, and marijuana estimated to be worth $7,000, according to the blog.

The site notes that under the city's new medical marijuana ordinance, which will outlaw pot shops that exist within 1,000 feet of schools, churches, parks and rehab centers, the dispensary would have to move or shut down.

“It's ironic and a bit perplexing that two medical marijuana clinics can operate one block apart in the largest drug recovery area in Southern California,” Vernon said.

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