5 Theft Countermeasures for Pharmacies | Cornell

Pharmaceuticals are a big business. The United States’ pharmaceutical industry is the largest in the world – raking in about $528 billion in 2019. With that amount of money comes even more reasons to be wary of crime. As a pharmacy owner or manager, you know the significance of protecting staff such as pharmacy technicians, cashiers, and pharmacists along with inventory, which includes sensitive prescriptions and even common household or beauty items.

While pharmacy theft may not immediately come to mind when thinking of high-stakes robberies, the numbers don’t lie. With over 10,900 incidents logged in the Rx PATROL® database as of September 23, 2021 (5,122 of these incidents are robberies, 2,569 are burglaries, and 58 are shoplifting), crime behind pharmacy doors is prevalent.

What Can You Do to Combat These Sprees?

To combat robberies and burglaries in your pharmacy, there are some security measures you can consider. In this blog, we’ll review a few gleaned from Pharmacy Times article, but keep in mind there are more than what’s mentioned on this page.

Theft Countermeasure #1 - Lights

All of the lights. Ensuring that your pharmacy has ample lighting at all times—whether day or nighttime—can assist in creating a space that’s more difficult to ambush. Additionally, banishing dark corners and possible hiding spots with lights in your store’s interior or exterior can be beneficial.

Theft Countermeasure #2 - Bring in Experts

Bring in the experts. Pharmacies can “invite local police to conduct security assessments at their store” to eliminate potential issues and threats before thieves even have a chance to plan their attack.

Theft Countermeasure #3 - Security Cameras

This one is a common suggestion for any type of facility looking to amp up their security for a reason: security cameras. Cameras provide a visual, physical presence that can deter would-be thieves from attempting to rob a pharmacy. Pharmacy Times recommends installing cameras at eye-level to “obtain a better picture of the robber’s face” should an incident occur.

Theft Countermeasure #4 - Alarm Systems

A good alarm system. If the above measures aren’t enough to scare off a more determined criminal, an alarm system could be the ticket…or at the very least, it can provide enhanced security and call for authorities immediately after a theft is initiated.

Theft Countermeasure #5 - Quality Rolling Doors and Grilles

Quality rolling doors and grilles. Stopping theft starts at facility entryways. At Cookson, we offer rolling security shutters and grilles to create the best fit for your application. Our pharmacy security shutters are ideal when you want accessibility and security in interior and exterior applications with the added benefit of choosing a fire-rated option. Our Visionaire MicroCoil grille fits into as little at 15.5” of headroom with its reduced coil size for optimal space savings – providing longevity and access control in high-traffic areas. We also manufacture side-folding grilles to transform your pharmacy space with a security options that provides maximum airflow and visibility in areas with limited space. Our ScreenGard™ perforated slat doors provide the security of a rolling service door and the visibility and ventilation typical of a rolling security grille.

View Our Pharmacy Security Closures

All pharmacies large or small can benefit from beefing up their theft countermeasures. Facilities in the pharmaceutical industry manage sensitive prescriptions, other inventory, money, and protected health information on a daily basis, so making sure these items are secure along with protecting staff and clients should be at the top of your list of safety concerns.

Our ADS Team is here to help: contact them to start the process of updating or enhancing your pharmacy’s security with security rolling doors or grilles. You can call them at 833.958.1273

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