GPS could curb pharmacy robberies
http://www.fox23.com/news/news/local/gps-could-curb-pharmacy-robberies/njFqy/
FOX23 investigates a crime Tulsa police say skyrocketed in the last year: violent pharmacy robberies.
Detectives told FOX23 people are at risk now more than ever as more criminals are following the trend.
FOX23’s Sara Whaley found something that could bring the robberies to a halt.
Detectives told FOX23 that in previous years they responded to five or six pharmacy robberies. This year, there have been 41.
Walgreens recently made some big changes due to the problem.
“Once the safe has been activated there is a short delay in time,” she said.
All of their Oklahoma stores now have a time release safe where the pharmacy keeps the most sought after drugs.
Once the key is turned to unlock the safe, a timer starts.
So if the robber wants the pills he or she has to wait.
So robberies are up 700%… these are DESPERATE PEOPLE.. willing to be violent … and Walgreens put TIMED OPEN SAFES.. in these stores… Someone is going to get hurt !!!
Is this like the death penalty deterring violent crimes.. and we know how well that has worked…
IMO.. it shows that securing the controlled meds is more important than securing the Rx dept and the safety of the Rx dept staff …
Filed under: General Problems
KLS…In the coporate’s mind, those of us who work in pharmacy are the “red shirts” if you have ever seen the original Star Trek series
I think a time-release safe is only going to tick off an already unstable person. If forced to wait I can see hostage situations getting thrown into the mix. I am not sure why pharmacies don’t get on board and close up those open counters.
At my pharmacy there is a door with an electronic lock to enter the pharmacy, but the counter is wide open. That is a loosely veiled attempt at security. When you take a super close look, the corporations running these places really don’t seem to take security seriously.
This needs to come down to one of two things in my opinion: bandit barriers across the counter in the retail stores or move all controlled substances offsite to a smaller, more secure pharmacy with the bandit barriers that only dispenses controlled substances.
I read in Canada, they have heroin clinics where addicts can come and shoot up 3 times a day, get quality product from a doctor clean supplies, check ups and if they want to get off the drug, be treated by a doctor. It was on a FB page, I have several and I dont remember which one, but I did comment how we couldnt do it here without revoking clear back to the the Harrison Act which forbids a doctor to write prescriptions to maintian an addiction.
Only other option is to allow conceal carry on the job. If the bad guys know or believe some employee may be armed , they’d be less likely to try it. Gun Free Zones are just huge advertisements for ‘yes come rob us we have no way ro resist’ delayed safes are just going to agitate the bad guys even more, IMHO, a higher body count
And if the medical industry could successfully treat addiction with standard available treatments, maybe the DEA wouldn’t be terrorizing patients, doctors, and pharmacies.
(Who am I kidding? The DEA and law enforcement don’t need a reason to terrorize.)
How many stores use this security measure, and have they found that it works?
There are so many drug stores — surely there are some that have put adequate security measures in place without putting anyone else at risk or increasing wait times for customers suffering from debilitating conditions. In Houston, the employees at my local Walgreens had an alarm button attached to their clothing that they could immediately hit. Seemed to work.