Police are asking the public for help after thieves broke into a local pharmacy and stole roughly $12,000 worth of pharmaceuticals.
At approximately 2:45 a.m. on Wednesday, July 6, the Sundre RCMP detachment responded to an alarm at the Sundre Community Drug Mart.
Police arrived quickly but the thieves had already managed to flee the scene. The culprits gained entry through the east door by smashing the glass out and then proceeded to target the narcotics cabinet at the rear of the store where they stole approximately $12,000 worth of pharmaceutical medications. Some of the medications stolen from the drugstore include fentanyl, oxycodone and morphine, said police.
The matter was as of last week still under investigation.
The business had never before been broken into and burgled, said Chris Aingworth, pharmacy manager.
“In a small town, you hope this kind of stuff won't happen,” he said.
The building was not equipped with cameras, but in light of the brazen break-in, that will most likely change, he said.
“We've definitely taken more preventative measures.”
He told the Round Up last Thursday that the pharmacy will no longer keep on hand as many pharmaceutical medications and that patrons will unfortunately have to place orders in advance. Additionally, the door through which the culprits gained entry will be replaced with a more secure alternative.
“We don't want to get hit again,” he said, adding, “We're just grateful it didn't happen while we were open.”
A daylight robbery with people in the store could have been a very dramatic and potentially disastrous situation, he said.
Originally from South Africa, Aingworth said he is not unfamiliar with such occurrences, but that Canada by far remains a much safer country. Unfortunately, there are people willing to engage in criminal activity all around the world, he added.
Anyone who witnessed or has information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Sundre RCMP detachment at 403-638-3675 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
