![\"Pharmacy](\"https:\/\/www.edrugstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/RS-Pharmacy-Robbery-Sign.jpg\" "\\"Pharmacy")
The New York Times reports that there have been more than 1,800 pharmacy robberies in the U.S. since the beginning of 2008. This has led pharmacy chains, as well as family-run stores, to change the way they do business.<\/p>\nThe New York Times reports that there have been more than 1,800 pharmacy robberies in the U.S. since the beginning of 2008. This has led pharmacy chains, as well as family-run stores, to change the way they do business.<\/p>\n
One small drug store in Maine has stopped selling Oxycontin. In fact, the owner put up a sign saying as much, in clear view of would-be criminals. The pharmacy-heist problem is getting so bad in Maine that the U.S. attorney there has called in the Feds to help work some of the cases. If the cases are tried in Federal Court, they can often bring more severe penalties, including more jail time.<\/p>\n
The most requested medications for robbers are painkillers Oxycontin and Vicodin, as well as Xanax, an anti-anxiety drug. People who are addicted to pain killers are not the only ones involved with the robberies. Authorities say that, because one 80-milligram Oxycontin pill often sells for $80 on the street, gangs and other individuals who are looking for a big payday are also at fault.<\/p>\n
![\"There](\"https:\/\/www.edrugstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Pharmacy-Robbery-Police-300x158.jpg\" "\\"There")
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) reports that there were 21 pharmacy robberies in Maine last year. There were only two there in 2008, and then seven more in 2009. Maine, Oklahoma and Oregon have seen the biggest spikes in pharmacy robberies in the last year. The DEA also reports that Florida, Indiana, California, Ohio and Washington have earned the uncoveted distinction of having the most incidents involving armed robberies at pharmacies since January 2008.<\/p>\n
Pharmacists in the states listed above, and others, have increased security at their stores as pharmacy robberies continue to become more common than bank robberies in many places. Some of the most common security measures include video surveillance systems, tracking devices in pill bottles, the raising or cordoning off of pharmacy counters so that would-be criminals can\u2019t get over them and time-release locks on safes. Many pharmacies also carry lower inventories for painkillers and similar drugs.<\/p>\n
![\"Pain](\"https:\/\/www.edrugstore.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/02\/Pharmacy-Robbery-Suspect-300x212.jpg\" "\\"Pain")
Even the manufacturer of Oxycontin, Purdue Pharma, is consulting with police departments to provide advice on investigating pharmaceutical robberies. Purdue is also working with pharmacists to train them on how to prevent robberies and what to do if one happens.<\/p>\n
The pharmacy-heist problem has gotten so bad in Washington state (more than 100 incidents since 2008), that some pharmacies are having challenges hiring enough pharmacists to work the risky job. Also in Washington, authorities are working with the state legislature to toughen laws for robberies in which no weapon is displayed. The current minimum sentence for that crime in Washington is just three months.<\/p>\n
Washington is not alone. Pharmaceutical bandits have pharmacy workers throughout the country fearing what could happen next.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The New York Times reports that there have been more than 1,800 pharmacy robberies in the U.S. since the beginning of 2008. This has led pharmacy chains, as well as family-run stores, to change the way they do business. One small drug store in Maine has stopped selling Oxycontin. In fact, the owner put up […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_autoblog_aioseo_focus_keyphrase":"","_autoblog_aioseo_title":"","_autoblog_aioseo_description":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1210","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-health-news"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t