New safes installed in Walgreens stores to prevent pharmacy robberies

MILWAUKEE (TMJ) — Pharmacies have long been targets for criminals and drug addicts looking for their next fix. That has often put employees at risk of being robbed and customers in the crossfire.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, Wisconsin ranks just behind Indiana for the most pharmacy armed robberies in the nation this year. The majority of those took place in Milwaukee County.

Walgreens has a new tool to combat these pharmacy robberies and help improve the safety of customers and employees. They’re called “time delay safes” and they’re being installed throughout Wisconsin.

The new safes will be used to secure opiates and narcotics.

They’re designed to remain locked for a period of time before a pharmacist can open it: this takes away immediate access of drugs. The program has been successful in other states and now the technology is coming to Walgreens pharmacies in the greater Milwaukee metro area.

The program could be expanded to other drug stores in the future.

“Once activated by a pharmacist, the safe is designed to remain locked for several minutes,” said Telly Knetter, an asset protection manager. “Our safes will be used to secure commonly controlled substances that are often targeted by criminals.”

Walgreens corporate offices said there’s been a decrease in pharmacy robberies in retail stores since these safes have been installed.

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