Waterloo Regional Police have issued a warning to area businesses as they say there have been two dozen robbery calls so far in January, twice as many as a year ago.
They say among that count are seven involving pharmacies, including three over three hours at one point. The thieves are said to be targeting prescription medication, which is being resold in the area.
Police say officers are monitoring pharmacies and speaking to local business owners to make certain they are up to date with the latest information and safety measures.
They are asking pharmacies staff to report suspicious activity, and if possible, to have more than one employee on duty at all times.
They are also stressing the importance of having well-maintained surveillance equipment.
Police say they have “deployed significant resources to solve these robberies, and investigators continue to work diligently to determine if organized crime is a contributing factor.”
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