Disturbing spike in pharmacy robberies continues with Oshawa hold-up

Durham regional police say they’re seeking three suspects after a pharmacy was robbed in Oshawa on Sunday morning.

Police says three suspects, two males and a female, entered the Oshawa Lakeview Pharmacy on Park Road South at about 10:40 a.m.

They indicated that they were carrying a gun, but police say a gun was not seen.

The suspects fled on foot with a quantity of drugs and money.

No one was injured.

It’s the latest in a disturbing spate of GTA pharmacy robberies that have prompted pharmacists to speak out with concerns for their safety.

One pharmacy in Mississauga told CityNews it has resorted to keeping its doors locked and buzzing in customers in an effort to avoid being victimized.

The Ontario Pharmacists Association (OPA) told CityNews last week that the demand for narcotics has increased as a result of the worsening opioid crisis in Ontario.

They’re calling for increased safety measures, like the implementation of mandatory time-delayed safes at pharmacies.

These devices, which have helped dramatically reduce pharmacy thefts in British Columbia and Alberta, keep narcotics and other high risk drugs locked for a least five minutes before access is granted, helping to deter thieves.

With files from Tina Yazdani