Cannabis in Illinois

Thief Steals Cannabis From Chicago Airport Amnesty Box

Police say a traveler arriving in Chicago grabbed the cannabis from an "amnesty box" at Midway

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Marijuana has only been legal in Illinois for 23 days, so in the minds of some, the crime that occurred Wednesday at Chicago's Midway Airport was only a matter of time.

Chicago Police confirm that a traveler arriving in Chicago grabbed the pot inside Midway's so-called "amnesty box", a storage unit near security where passengers can surrender their newly-legal marijuana before traveling.

A source told NBC5 the marijuana in question had been discovered on a traveler early Wednesday, and that person was escorted to the amnesty box where they were allowed to deposit their weed without penalty.

When police went to empty the box around 8pm, the marijuana was gone. A check of airport surveillance cameras showed a man grabbing the pot and hurrying away, around 6 p.m.

Investigators believe the man had just arrived on a flight and immediately exited the airport. It wasn't clear how he was able to access the box, which should have been locked.

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