A recent increase in robberies targeting OxyContin is making it clear that police and pharmacies have to improve security measures.
OxyContin, a highly addictive prescription narcotic, has huge street resale value according to Staff Sgt. Don Sweet, of the Ottawa Police Robbery Unit.
“Oxys are a highly addictive drug with high demand on the street,” he says. “This is a pharmaceutical drug so people know what they’re getting, and they know they’re getting good stuff.”
Bell Pharmacy, on Gladstone Avenue, has experienced three attempted robberies targeting OxyContin.
Sonja Spanovic, a pharmacist at Bell Pharmacy, was working on one occasion and says because she didn’t see a gun, she basically told the man to go away.
The thief wrote a note specifying what he wanted and Spanovic told him he couldn’t get any narcotics because he didn’t have a prescription. When he said he had a gun, Spanovic assumed he was lying and told him to leave.
As it turns out, Spanovic was right about the gun. The thief left the pharmacy and was caught soon after Spanovic gave a description to the police.
“I didn’t think,” she says. “I guess at the moment I was too brave and too stupid. I’m not sure what would happen next time, but if I didn’t see a weapon, I’d try not to give him anything.”
She stresses that it’s a dangerous situation and if she saw any kind of weapon, she would give the thief what they wanted.
“Every store has insurance,” she says. “What’s the point of putting yours and other people’s lives at risk for a few pills?”
Sweet says because OxyContin can sell for around $30 a pill, depending on strength, many thieves aren’t stealing OxyContin for the drug itself, but to resell them.
In 30 days last fall, there were 20 pharmacy robberies and four attempted robberies targeting OxyContin. Sweet says the police have made some arrests, but “the robberies are continuing, and I don’t expect them to slow down.”
More recent robberies in February include Shoppers Drug Marts on Rideau Street, Carling Avenue and Klondike Road in Kanata.
Sweet says the police robbery unit is working in collaboration with large chain pharmacies, like Shoppers and Rexall. Some of the changes they’re hoping pharmacies will make are reducing the inventory they have on hand, improving surveillance and providing training for staff.
“It’s a slow process. A lot of the stores weren’t victims of robbery before this. We have to refocus them on what they need to do in regards to robbery prevention.”
When it comes to independent drug stores such as Bell Pharmacy, Sweet says the police will provide help when it’s needed, but at the moment, he has to focus on the big stores. He also explains that because they’re independent, the stores often have good preventative measures and keep their surveillance strong.