MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Police are looking for two people who pried open the front, automatic doors at a medical building in East Memphis and raided the pharmacy.
Police report the thieves got away with thousands of dollars worth of prescription medications.
It happened early Sunday morning at Regional One Health on Quince. It’s where Regional Medical Center has a satellite pharmacy.
Employees told us this is the first time this has happened.
Employees said the thieves took 45 different medications. Most were narcotics. They had to notify the DEA.
Police said the thieves threw the pills into bags and have yet to be caught.
Unfortunately, this story is far too common.
In the past couple months, WREG told you about a trio of masked men who held up a CVS in Raleigh and forced customers to the ground as they swiped prescription pills.
The same thing happened at an Olive Branch CVS.
“The way addiction works, it’s getting heavier and heavier at an alarming rate,” said Branden Cooper.
He is a recovering addict and now working with Turning Point Recovery in Southaven.
He said the demand for narcotics is increasing across the Mid-South.
Just last year in Memphis, police report 122 people died from pills and narcotics.
“A lot of the addicts out there, opiate addicts as well, are trying to get ‘street legal drugs.’ They’re trying to get more towards pharmaceuticals, so they’re not at high risk for overdose,” he said.
Regional One Health employees says this is the first time their satellite pharmacy was hit since it opened about a year ago.
It’s back open as security looks to see if any changes need to be made.
Cameras rolled as the thieves broke in, but employees nor police have released the footage.
There’s no suspect description either.
If you or someone you know is battling addiction, call Turning Point Recovery’s 24/7 hotline at 1.888.614.2251 or visit TurningPointTreatment.org.
