The Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (IPLA) and the Indiana Board of Pharmacy have been made aware and are closely monitoring a recent string of pharmacy burglaries across Indiana, primarily targeting independent pharmacy locations.

The perpetrators have specialized tools to break and enter through windows. They are stealing Promethazine-Codeine, C-II, and stimulant medications.

IPLA and the Indiana Board of Pharmacy strongly encourage pharmacies to take the following actions to better protect their inventories:

• Set your pharmacy’s alarm each night upon closing.

• Check security cameras to ensure that they are operational and are continuously monitoring your inventory.

• If your safe is less than 750 pounds (lbs.), it must be mounted or secured to something of substantial construction, in accordance with the Drug Enforcement Agency’s (DEA) requirements.

All pharmacy burglaries and attempted burglaries should be reported immediately to local law enforcement and the IPLA’s Compliance Division at placompliance@pla.in.gov.

Any questions, especially any questions concerning state and federal requirements for properly safeguarding controlled substances, may be directed to the IPLA’s Compliance Division at placompliance@pla.in.gov.