The stealing of an Invercargill pharmacy’s morphine stocks involved breaking into a city building, smashing through an internal wall and using tools to open a safe, the owner says.
He Puna Waiora Wellness Pharmacy owner Terry Son has spoken out about the robbery, one of three pharmacy burglaries in the city in recent weeks. The other two were at the Gladstone Pharmacy and Life Pharmacy Donna Kerr.
Son said he arrived at work on February 13 and was shocked to find an “open space” in the back wall of his small pharmacy.
Burglars had smashed through the internal wall and used tools to open his safe, before stealing the controlled drugs inside, including morphine.
READ MORE:
* Coronavirus: He Puna Waiora Wellness Centre reconfigures
* Invercargill/Bluff pokie machine spend $16m in 2018
* Associate Social Development Minister Peeni Henare praises Invercargill social services trust
Nothing else was taken from the pharmacy, he said.
Burglars had firstly broken through a window at the back entrance of the Nga Kete building before zeroing in on his pharmacy inside the building.
Burglars had also broken into the Nga Kete building the previous night, also through a window at the back entrance, and stolen cash from the Nga Kete medical centre.
Son said the actions of the burglars meant he was unable to provide controlled drugs and full services to his customers until his safe was replaced a fortnight later.
“People deserve to get proper services … that really gutted me.”
He was surprised the burglary happened in Invercargill.
“People should understand, it’s a place for people’s health, it’s not for meeting people’s illegal habits.”
Nga Kete chief executive Tracey Wright-Tawha confirmed there had been two burglaries in two nights at the Nga Kete premises in Spey St.
The thieves had stolen the day’s cash takings from the medical centre on the first night, and on the second night [when the pharmacy inside the building was broken into] thieves also stole a television set and dehumidifier from Nga Kete.
Nga Kete was now beefing up security, spending at least $25,000 on lighting, sensors, cameras and alarms.
“In 23 years we have never had anything like this and our security needed stepping up, so we have done that.”
Detective constable Pete Smallfield confirmed police were investigating three pharmacy burglaries in Invercargill in February and March.
No arrests had been made and enquiries were ongoing.
Police believed the two burglaries on March 1 [Gladstone Pharmacy and Life Pharmacy Donna Kerr], may be linked, but they weren’t thought to be linked to the February burglary [of Son’s pharmacy].
“We can confirm some drugs were stolen in the burglaries … also stolen was a selection of perfumes and colognes,” Smallfield said.
It was a timely reminder for businesses to review their security systems, Smallfield said.
This could include CCTV cameras, night lighting and alarm systems which could deter potential burglars and assist police when investigating.