BREWER POLICE DEPARTMENT’S
PHARMACY ROBBERY
PREVENTION AND
RESPONSE
BREWER POLICE DEPARTMENT
Captain Christopher M. Martin
cmartin@brewermaine.gov
207-989-7003
Motive for crime
Pharmacy robberies are typically committed by
young men seeking opioid painkillers and
other drugs to sell or to feed their own
addictions.
Opportunities
- Increased number of pharmacies and hours of
operation.
- Relatively quick to plan and can be rapidly
executed (standard designs /methods of
operation).
In Maine armed pharmacy robberies
increased 1200% between 2008 and 2011
According to BDN as of October 2012 half of Maine
Pharmacy Robberies were at Rite Aids
2008 Maine had 2 Pharmacy Robberies
2011 Maine had 24 pharmacy robberies
*As of 10/23 Maine has had 46 pharmacy robberies *
(38 solved – 82.6% cleared rate)
In 2011 633 armed pharmacy robberies were reported to
the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency in which Schedule II
drugs were taken.
Robbery prevention and awareness
training
This program is a detailed look at the Crime
of Robbery and how it effects pharmacy
business.
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What is a Robbery?
Characteristics of Robbery
What should I do during a Robbery?
What to do after a Robbery?
Robbery Prevention Techniques and objectives
What is a ROBBERY?
“ROBBERY” means the taking of money or
other property which may be the subject
of larceny from the person or custody of
another, with intent to either permanently
or temporarily deprive the person or the
owner of the money or other property,
when in the course of the taking there is
the use of force, violence, assault, or
putting in fear.
Two Critical Things
 Robbers want one thing – your property, in
the case of pharmacy robberies they want
drugs – and they want them quickly
 Robbery is a risky business and robbers are
usually nervous. Delay increases the
potential for violence. Give the robber what
he/she wants quickly. DO NOT risk your life
or another person’s life for property.
Characteristics of Robbery
 Socio-economics status of Business
Neighborhood is not a factor!
 More attractive the business = more
frequently Robbed
 The DOLLARS lost from Robbery do not hurt
the business…Employees, customers and
business status are hurt
Characteristics of a ROBBER
 Robbers are usually Male (majority are
under 25 years of age)
 Repeat offenders/record of violence
 Will ROB for small amount and repeat
offense to accumulate a larger amount
 Most business ROBBERS are strangers to
their victim
 Use threat of force and violence to
neutralize resistance of victim
R.E.A.C.T.
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R emain calm
E ye witness, pay attention to descriptors of suspect
A ctivate Robbery Alarm
C all police and provide a good description
T ake charge and protect the crime scene
PRACTICE this REACT response with employees
What should I do during a
Robbery?
 Cooperate with the Robber, give them exactly
what they want
 WEAPONS or implied weapons should be
treated as REAL and LOADED
 Do not make loud noises or sudden moves
 Give bait/decoy, even if told not to!
 Try to alert other employees, use “Code
Words”
 ACTIVATE ALARM A.S.A.P., but safely!
What should I do during a
Robbery?
 Observe and Identify
Weapon (type, size
and color)
 Remember – consider
all weapons real and
loaded!
Be a Good Witness
 Suspect: height, weight, gender, race, clothing,
scars, tattoos, shoes
 Focus on what is taken, where it is put, how it is
carried
 Keep demand note, if applicable
 Prepare a brief synopsis of the event for when the
police arrive
 Inventory of drugs to document what was taken
(bottles of commonly abused drugs like Schedule II
should be marked and lot #’s recorded)
 Police will need immediate access to camera system
A witness account (video)
What should I do during a
Robbery?
*** Observe and Identify Vehicle ***
 Color/Make/Model/Old or New
 License Plate (State, Color, Number)
 Unusual Characteristics or Body Damage
 Direction of Travel
What to do After the Robbery
IMMEDIATELY CALL THE POLICE
911
What to do After a Robbery
*** DO NOT CALL***
 YOUR MANAGER / STORE OWNER / STORE SECURITY
 YOUR FAMILY
 NON-EMERGENCY OR ADMINISTRATION LINE
 YOUR ALARM COMPANY
UNTIL YOU NOTIFY LAW ENFORCEMENT VIA 9-1-1,
AND THE OPERATOR HAS GIVEN YOU
PERMISSION TO HANG UP THE PHONE
What to tell the 9-1-1 operator
 “We have just been Robbed”
 “A Robbery has just occurred at our business”
 Identify Yourself
 Stay on the Phone
 Answer Questions about the Robbery
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Descriptions of Robbers
Weapons
Injuries
How long ago
Vehicles and direction of travel
What to do After a Robbery:
Protect the Crime Scene
 Lock all the doors
 Calmly tell customers that a Robbery has just
occurred
 Stop all business transactions
 Ask all witnesses to stay until Police arrives
 DO NOT touch anything in the Robbery area
 Do not allow customers, friends, or media into
business until Law Enforcement arrives
What to do After the Robbery:
Record Observations
 Use SUSPECT ID CHART
 Do not compare observations with other
witnesses
 Write down exactly what you remember
Forensic Evidence
 Make note of everything the suspect touches,
especially if not wearing gloves. This may
leave fingerprint and/or DNA evidence. Point
out these areas to police.
 Incorporate procedures where commonly
touched areas like countertops and doors are
cleaned frequently.
Robbery Prevention Techniques
Be Alert to Suspicious Customers
 Robbers usually “case” their target
 Loitering in store or parking lot, same car keeps driving by
 Early shoppers? Tries to keep you later?
 Acts nervous or “just not right”
 Make sure camera system is working
 Call Law Enforcement
Identification
 Greet each customer. Good customer service
discourages hesitant robbers and thieves.
 Place height markings along the vertical
frame at the entrance and near service areas.
 Use a quality camera/recording system.
Positioned at front door, pharmacy counter.
Clear frontal view of suspect’s face (eye level).
Cameras in parking lot.
“Challenging Strangers”
 Rule: Everyone who enters store should
know that all employees are watching.
 When you “challenge” a stranger, you do not
have to be rude or threatening. Be polite and
assertive. The best thing to do is to ask the
person, “Can I help you find something?”
Robbery Prevention Techniques:
 NEVER block the view into your business
 Cashier area should be easily seen from outside
 Allow employees to see entire store, low displays, clear
partitions, convex mirrors
 Keep all entrances, exits and parking areas well lit
 NEVER open or close in the DARK alone! Leave lights on
inside and outside after closing
Robbery Prevention techniques:
Good Employee Hiring Techniques
 Robbers can be past employees
 Complete application process
 Photo-copy of Driver’s License- Photo ID
 Photo-copy of Social Security Card
 Photo all employees
 Discourages dishonest employees
 Assist law Enforcement with ID
Employees
 Check references of prospective employees. Do
a thorough background check of previous
employers. Check criminal history.
 Keep a file on all employees, including their
pictures. (Past employees know store procedure
and sometimes share this information with
others to aid in criminal activity)
 Re-key locks and alter safe combinations when
employees are dismissed for cause.
Robbery Prevention Techniques:
Opening and Closing
Opening:
 Use two people and check surroundings for suspicious
people/vehicles
 Check business for signs of break in, never enter, always call
police
 Use visible door, not hidden entrance
 All employees lock themselves in until the store opens
 NEVER OPEN EARLY FOR ANYONE!
Robbery Prevention Techniques:
Opening and Closing
Closing:
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Lock all doors at closing hour
Never open doors after hours to strangers
Check entire building for suspicious/hiding people
Pleasantly escort last customers to the door and lock it
behind them
 Use two people
 Follow opening safety rules in reverse
 If called back after closing, let someone know you are going
and verify all Police initiated calls
Robbery Prevention Techniques:
 If it is possible place a greeter by the front door
 Enforce a policy of no hats/no sunglasses
 Install security cameras outside of store to cover
parking lot area and back/sides
 Install a security camera at the front door about 5 1/2
to 6 feet high to catch facial shot of suspect leaving
 Switch up procedures for bait pharmaceuticals
 Look at possibility of installing double security doors
at entrance
Robbery Prevention Techniques:
Alarms
 Different from Burglar alarms
 EMPLOYEE
activated
 Multiple points of access to “panic” buttons
 Alerts Police
 Deterrent to Robbery when existence is advertised
 Easy access to activate
 All employees should be trained to use all security
systems
 Management should be responsible for
maintenance of security system
Signage
“Controlled Substances in Time Release Safe”
No hats, no facial covering
No backpacks
Warm up exercise for practical:
Robbery Prevention Benefits
 Reduce incidents of Robbery
 Makes a safer place to work and shop
 Enhance Public and Internal Image
 Reduce Employee Turnover
 Enhance Sales and Profits
 Leadership Role in Crime Prevention
“Pitfalls”
 Not keeping the demand note (we are losing
valuable evidence, and often times the
witness/victim cannot remember specifically
what was communicated. )
 Review strategies for how to keep note without
being obvious, confirm the robbery with a
statement to the effect of “Are you robbing
me?” A response to this will provide good
evidence meeting the elements of a robbery as
opposed to a theft, especially if we don’t have
the note or one wasn’t presented.
“Pitfalls”
 Not challenging strangers/suspicious customers.
In several of these recent cases, the suspect was
in the store prior to the actual event, not really
shopping, and displaying behaviors what
could/should have been challenged by
employees “Can I help you find something”.
 Countertops were not routinely wiped down.
Recommendation was every 15 minutes to clean
and wipe down countertop area with alcohol
based cleaner to allow for greater likelihood of
collection of latent print and/or DNA in event of
robbery.
“Pitfalls”
 Security cameras not working or in not place. In one case,
the exterior cameras on one side of building were not
working, which was the side that the suspect fled
from. Makes it difficult to see any vehicles and/or direction
of travel. Recommendation for placement of covert
security camera at face level, pointing at nose area.
 Rather than waiting for the media to report that another
robbery has occurred, go on the record and promote the
fact that the crimes being committed are being solved, to
get the word out there that pharmacies are hard targets
and the likelihood of success for a crime committed is not
very good.
Closing Thoughts…
Solving crimes prevents future
ones from occurring.
Thank you.