TRAVERSE CITY -- Police believe a fresh batch of prescription drugs could illegally hit the streets following a burglary at a Garfield Township pharmacy, the second at the site in two months.
Someone broke through a window at The Prescription Shop in the Copper Ridge development at about 11:45 p.m. Sunday, police said. Unknown quantities of methadone, Adderall and Percocet were taken.
Roughly $5,400 in retail value of methadone, hydrocodone and other drugs were taken during a Feb. 25 break-in at the same store. The suspect or suspects also broke in through a window in that incident.
Police haven't identified a suspect in the first break-in, but believe it's likely the crimes were related.
"It's probably a good bet that it is, just because of the similarities of the two crimes," Grand Traverse sheriff's Capt. Tom Emerson said.
Officers arrived quickly and found no trace of those responsible, Emerson said.
"It's a good bet they knew what they were after," he said. "They'd probably been in there before at some point, looked the place over and had a good idea of where it's at on the shelves."
Police awaited an inventory from The Prescription Shop Monday to determine the exact amount of drugs missing.
A detective is assigned to the case, and officers were expected to check the shop for more evidence Monday. Because of the amount of drugs taken in each instance, they're almost certainly destined for sale on the street, investigators believe.
"If we can get to the person, we can get the drugs back before they're dispersed," Emerson said.
Both burglaries triggered an alarm, Emerson said. Aside from an alarm system, pharmacy owners can keep drugs that are desired for street sales under lock and key, or install some form of gate system across windows and doors, he said.
Prescription Shop owner James Bock wouldn't say if the store took additional precautions after the first burglary, or if there are plans to do anything different now.
"We're always trying to do the very best we can do, and if that involves new polices and procedures, we continuously weigh each and every one of them," he said.
Area pharmacy break-ins are "always a concern," said Jim Wolff, owner of Petertyl Drug & Gift in downtown Traverse City. Such incidents serve as a reminder to ratchet up and review security measures, he said.
But among the most disturbing elements of such crimes is that the drugs often end up in the hands of people who abuse them, Wolff said.
"It's sad that people are going to be misusing those medications," Wolff said.
Three Traverse City area residents died in recent months following overdoses of prescription drugs that had been illegally obtained. Authorities continue to investigate those deaths.
Anyone with information about either burglary is asked to contact the Grand Traverse Sheriff's Department at 995-5002 or Silent Observer at 947-TIPS.
