On the morning of August 25, 2025, deputies with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office arrested 32-year-old Zachary Jolly after a brazen burglary at the “Queen of Weed” mobile cannabis dispensary on Fort Myers Beach. Surveillance video captured Jolly smashing a van window with what appeared to be a brick before stuffing a garbage can with more than $7,000 worth of edibles, vape cartridges, and mushrooms.
The “Queen of Weed” van had become a familiar sight around Fort Myers Beach, catering to medical marijuana cardholders with THC-infused gummies, cannabis vapes, and mushroom products. According to the Sheriff’s Office, Jolly forced his way in during the early hours, breaking glass and scooping up merchandise in minutes.
“It was shocking to see someone fill a trash can like it was a shopping cart,”
Said one nearby shop owner who reviewed the video alongside deputies.
A tweet from X.
The dispensary’s cameras sent real time alerts to its owner, who immediately notified law enforcement. Deputies canvassed the area and soon focused on nearby hotels. Inside one, they found Jolly and the stolen stash.
In a statement, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office confirmed
“Jolly was arrested without incident and booked into the Lee County Jail. He faces charges of burglary, criminal mischief, and grand theft.”
Under Florida law, “grand theft” applies when stolen property is valued at more than $750, making it a felony offense.
The burglary highlights a growing challenge securing mobile cannabis businesses. After Hurricane Ian in 2022, Fort Myers Beach officials temporarily allowed food trucks and mobile units to operate, a move designed to help small businesses recover. Some entrepreneurs adapted the model for cannabis sales.
While medical marijuana is legal statewide, recreational cannabis remains prohibited. That gray area has fueled controversy, with critics questioning whether mobile dispensaries like Queen of Weed align with Florida’s strict licensing rules.
“The intent of the ordinance was post storm recovery, not roving marijuana shops,”
One local business leader told reporters.
The stolen “mushrooms” add another layer of uncertainty. Deputies have not clarified whether they were psilocybin a federally banned psychedelic or legal mushroom supplements.
Jolly’s arrest comes amid rising retail theft concerns across Florida, where lawmakers have recently toughened penalties for organized shoplifting. His case proceeds through the Lee County courts, with prosecutors having to handle both the cannabis inventory and the matter of the illegality of the mushrooms.
For mobile dispensaries, the break-in raises uncomfortable questions about security, regulation, and the balance in regulating vs. limiting access. As Fort Myers Beach rebuilds its tourist destination profile, businesses like Queen of Weed must increasingly prove they have what it takes to do business safely.
Eventually, the “Jolly Burglar” burglary may come to be remembered more due to its pun-filled title then due to what it illuminates regarding the developing cannabis marketplace in Florida and the role of monitoring in a modern police department.
