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Burglars strike three different Colorado Springs pharmacies in less than a month

Posted at 6:25 PM, Jul 11, 2018
and last updated 2018-07-11 20:25:42-04
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQLUJE3npP4?rel=0&showinfo=0]

A string of recent burglaries are targeting pharmacies and raising concerns for Colorado Springs Police.

In less than a month, there have been three such burglaries where suspects have taken off with an undisclosed amount of prescription drugs. The worry here is who’s hands they can end up in.

The Walgreens on the 2700 block of Dublin Boulevard is the most recent burglary target. It happened at about 2 a.m. on Wednesday. The other incidents happening on the 300 block of North Union Boulevard and the 800 block of Village Center Drive.

Below is a map indicating the incident dates and times:

Police tell News 5 that’s uncommon.

"It’s extremely rare that we have burglaries of pharmacies," said Lt. Howard Black with Colorado Springs Police Department. "That’s something that doesn’t happen a lot in Colorado Springs."

Now a big concern is where suspects could take the drugs next.

"What’s a little more concerning about a pharmacy is that these individuals are taking narcotics from that pharmacy and then selling those narcotics on the streets," added Black.

Many locally-owned pharmacies News 5 reached out to didn’t want to go on camera but said they’re going what they can to deter thieves – even hiring security.

"Pharmacies are always concerned about the safety of their product that they have," said Black. The DEA told News 5 it’s seen an uptick in these cases in an area stretching from Denver to Colorado springs just in the last 30 days.

A spokesperson says in most cases, those stolen drugs are turned around and sold on the street. Police are asking the public to report suspicious activity near pharmacies right away so they can get track down these stolen drugs.

"Always concerned when narcotics are being stolen and and placed out onto the street for sale," Black commented.

These burglaries are all part of an open investigation. Police haven’t made arrests in either of these three cases but we will continue to monitor this investigation and bring you the latest updates as police share those with us.