Drug Stores and Pharmacies are Common Targets for Criminals: Here’s How to Help Secure Them

Stopping Crime at Drug Stores and Pharmacies

There are many reasons why criminals target properties. One major reason is because the location contains merchandise or other valuables that the criminals want. This sounds obvious, but it’s a reason that many people overlook. It’s also a concept that some misunderstand.

Criminals don’t just target high-value items. While televisions, electronics, computers, jewellery and other expensive items are often stolen, they aren’t the only items that criminals look for. Criminals also want to steal items that can easily be resold and that have a high-value on the black market.

This is a major reason why drug stores and pharmacies are targeted.

These stores contain many items that are desired by smash and grab criminals as well as shoplifters, such as:

Razor blades
Baby formula
Prescription drugs
Cash
Mouthwash
Over the counter medication
Cosmetics
Cigarettes
Perfume and cologne

These items are all popular with criminals for the same reasons. One is that they can easily be resold for profit. Another is that these items are difficult to track once they have been removed from the store. Finally, these items are generally quite small and easy to carry. This makes them common targets.

Types of Crime at Pharmacies and Drug Stores

Two very common types of crime are smash and grab robberies and shoplifting.

A smash and grab robbery is what it sounds like. A criminal breaks through a window or door, steals as much as possible and leaves the scene. The main aspect of these crimes is speed. Criminals know that it takes time for the police to respond to an alarm, even if they are dispatched immediately. Most smash and grab robberies take place in just a few minutes. In some cases, a smash and grab robbery takes only seconds. video monitoring shows that the break in has occurred.

Smash and grab robberies are typically very damaging to a property. In addition to merchandise being stolen and windows and doors being smashed, criminals also often damage displays, shelving and other merchandise during the robbery. Plus, a location will typically have to close down for some time following a smash and grab robbery, in order to make repairs.

As you can imagine, in most smash and grab robberies, small items are targets. It is easier and faster to carry many small items from a crime scene without being bogged down.

Small yet valuable items are also the target in most shoplifting crimes. Criminals can easily slide these items into pockets, bags or coats and walk out of the store with them. Since the items stolen are small, these crimes often take place without anyone noticing.

Using Physical Security Products to Reduce Crime

Shoplifting and theft costs retail stores such as pharmacies and drug stores billions of dollars each year. For this reason, it’s very important to take steps to secure your property.

Physical security is incredibly effective at reducing crime. Security gates can make it significantly more difficult to break down doors and smash through windows. In most smash and grab robberies, criminals use rocks, crowbars, bricks or other common items to break into a property. By installing security gates, you render such items ineffective. You also make it much more time-consuming to break into a property. As mentioned, one key aspect of smash and grab robberies is speed. By slowing criminals down, you reduce the likelihood of a crime successfully taking place at your drug store or pharmacy.

Physical security also reduces the likelihood of shoplifting. Small yet valuable items can be placed inside locked cabinets and only accessible to staff members who have a key. This makes it significantly less likely that anyone will be able to steal them without being noticed.

If you need help selecting a gate, please feel free to contact a member of our team. We’ll be more than happy to help you out in any way we can.