75% of pharmacies were victims of crime last year, survey finds
75% of pharmacies were the victims of crime last year, a survey from the Irish Pharmacy Union has found.
According to the union's Crime Survey, 81% of these stores have experienced multiple incidents.
The most common types of incidents reported by pharmacies who had been victims of crime were shoplifting (93%), break-ins (11%), and fraud (19%).
17% of pharmacies have had controlled or other prescribed drugs stolen in the last year.
The number of pharmacists who experienced a raid was at 13%, an increase from 6% in 2016.
The IPU has called for more resources to be made available to tackle crime in the community.
"Ireland’s pharmacies are at the centre of communities nationwide, it is unacceptable that they are persistently subjected to high levels of crime," said Daragh Connolly, President of the IPU.
"This is a threat that cannot be ignored any longer. The Gardaí need to be tasked with tackling this issue and be given the resources required to do so in a meaningful way."
