Question on looted pharmacies (Baltimore: 2015, home, neighborhood)

[trishladish]

I've looked around different discussion boards but haven't seen this addressed.

Aren't narcotics in pharmacies typically locked in safes? My thought is that a safe is really hard to get in to, at least those I've seen. It's not like you can take a screwdriver and pry one open.

So, how were more than 150,000 doses of narcotics so easy to get from those pharmacies?

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

And if they weren't secured, why haven't we heard anything about the pharmacies bearing responsibility for the thefts?

[flyonpa]

There are different Levels of narcotics,

Some need to be secured better then others.

Things Like ADD/ADHD Meds can be kept on the shelf in a restricted area.
Other Like ozy need to locked in more restricted safe.

But everything in the back of the Drug store that requires a Rx is "Some" kind of narcotic, So the entire inventory might add up to 150,000 Doses/tablets etc.

[feck]

Did the Baltimore City Police Department
actually obtain inventory lists from the
pharmacies looted? That would be the most
accurate way of assessing what was stolen.

If they did not get the inventory lists then where
did they get the 150,000 count?

As far as a safe? Don't underestimate the skills
of career criminals. Opening a safe might be a
walk in the park for some.

[james777]

So, in your opinion, is it the pharmacies fault for getting looted? Was it the fault of the people at the retirement home for the retirement home getting burned down? Was it the fault of the neighborhood store owners and employees for getting their stores looted?

[rudy_d]

This article mentions safes filled with narcotics being hauled away. With time and the right tools or know-how, it's probably not too hard to get them open.

Some Baltimore pharmacy owners waiting for police response to looting - Baltimore Sun

[B.K.]

Different controlled substances fall into different schedules. Generally, those in schedule II-i.e., the hard stuff, Morphine, Dilaudid, Demerol, Fentanyl, Oxycodone and Hydrocodone in some concentrations/combinations, the stronger Barbiturates, Cocaine, some amphetamines, etc., should be kept locked in the safe after the pharmacy is closed. Schedules III, IV, V-the "lighter" opiates-codeine, dihydrocodeine, buprenorphine, cough syrup formulations;tranquilizers- benzodiazepines and the like, along with the "major" tranquilizers and anti-psychotics; some amphetamine and amphetamine-like drugs; and the weaker barbiturates and "sleeping pills", are often left on the shelf. Also, policies vary from pharmacy to pharmacy.

[trishladish]

Thanks for your explanations. I have a much better understanding now.