JASPER, Mich. — A southeast Michigan man is sharing his experience after being robbed at gunpoint the day before Thanksgiving, saying he was targeted for his marijuana crop.
Aaron Westbrook, a resident of Jasper, Michigan, said that early Wednesday morning, three men broke into his home and held him at gunpoint while they took marijuana and destroyed a room in his lab.
Westbrook said he's a legal, card-holding marijuana grower and that this isn't the first time he's been a target for robbery.
But it is the first time he's reached out to WTOL 11 to get the word out about his experience in hopes of making sure it doesn't happen again to him or to other growers in the area.
"I never told nobody. I never called the police or nobody. I just kept it quiet," he explained. "Figured it was a learning curve or something and I didn't learn enough."
Westbrook said he now feels unsafe in the home he's lived in his entire life. He's concerned for the dangerous things that could potentially happen next.
"They're holding me at gunpoint and what's their next stage? How much more courage do they need to harm me in some way? I'm lucky to be here," he said. "I'm covered in bruises from top to bottom from where they punched on me and stuff."
He explained he's heard other marijuana growers in the area have also been robbed. He said he just wants others to come forward so police can put a stop to this and growers can continue to be caregivers for their medical marijuana patients.
"They don't know that they harmed my patients and stuff now because I have five people," Westbrook said. "Some with cancer, different spinal problems that we don't have marijuana to give them for their health now."
According to Westbrook, the suspects were driving a white Chevrolet van.
WTOL 11 confirmed with the Lenawee County Sheriff's Office that Westbrook filed a police report. We have yet to receive the report and have been told it can take up to five days to process media requests.
If you have any information on the robbery or any others in the area, you're urged to call the Lenawee County Sheriff's Office at 517-263-0524.