Pharmacies have always been targets for crime. For drug users and dealers they are a gold mine due to the sheer amount of medications that they house. Larger high street pharmacies like Boots also stock luxury beauty and fragrance brands, increasing the risks of attack.
During the Coronavirus Pandemic the amount of crime against pharmacies increased. The severity of the attacks did too. So how can we protect the lives of those who work to protect ours?
Prescription drugs – primarily opioids – have made their way into the recreational category of drug use amongst many users across the UK. Opioids are highly addictive if not used in line with a doctor or pharmacist’s advice and are very hard to obtain without a prescription.
With everyone trapped inside during the pandemic the use of “party drugs” decreased however the use of drugs like cannabis and opioids increased.
What this meant for pharmacies was an increase in violent robberies and attacks either by addicts who were looking for their next fix or dealers looking to make some money. Recent news has shown ram-raids where vehicles are being driven through shop fronts to gain entry. We have also seen many cases of armed robberies from knives to meat cleavers.
Pharmacies are generally not prepared for attacks of this severity which is why we would advise that they start evaluating their security measures as soon as possible.
The Metropolitan Police have released guidance on securing yourselves and your stock during this recent surge. You can read their Police Pharmacy Advice document here.
They advise that you use police accredited security products which can be found on the Secured By Design website. Warrior Doors are a Secured By Design member company, you can learn more about our relationship with them here.
The document also advises you to seek advice from the Master Locksmith Association of which we are a member.
Although the types of attacks that we are seeing at pharmacies are similar to those of our High Value Retail customers we know that the level of security that we would advise for them may not be feasible.
We can certify to a range of security levels from LPS 2081 SRB to LPS 1175 SR4 so we can work alongside you to find the security level you need based on your risks and your budgets. We can also carry out a free security evaluation of the premises.
For pharmacies, we recommend at minimum secure display cabinets to lock away highly targeted medicines or luxury brands. To further that security level we can also provide a secure shop front or a lower price point alternative, an enclosure. Enclosures are a secure space within the store that can be used to store targeted goods as well as being a safe space to escape should an armed criminal enter the store.
If you would like to book a free security evaluation or speak to a member of our team please call us at 0121 706 8400 or email us at [email protected].
Like this article? Share it with your friends.
