Drugstore robberies down 82% thanks to new technology: Toronto police

Toronto police say drugstore robberies in the city will drop by 82 percent in 2024 compared to this time last year, thanks to new technology.

Last year, a new mandate mandated that all pharmacies have time-delayed safes, which only open after a certain amount of time has passed after being unlocked. They are used to protect against narcotics such as oxycodone, morphine, and codeine.

Now, Toronto police, the Ontario College of Pharmacists and the Ontario Pharmacists Association are all citing a decrease in pharmacy robberies. Toronto has seen 10 robberies this year alone, compared to 60 in the same period last year.

“The pharmacy robbery was very profitable. Every pill taken was sold for a profit and there was a clear demand,” said Toronto police Insp. Joseph Mathis at a press conference on Wednesday.

“By working together with our residents, law enforcement and industry partners, we can make it harder for criminals to victimize our communities and ultimately make Toronto safer and safer for everyone.”

Matys said criminals often use stolen vehicles in drugstore robberies, contributing to the region's car theft crisis. They also put clients, staff and pharmacists at risk and sell drugs obtained on the illegal market, worsening the opioid crisis, he said.

More than 4,900 pharmacies in Ontario now carry the technology.