Security tips issued following spate of robberies

Tegan Fleming

The guide, entitled "Pseudoephedrine-related break and enters: 10 practical tips to reduce your risks", was developed by a task force of senior representatives from the Guild, the Queensland Police Service and Guild Insurance.

Among other tips, the guide advises pharmacies to utilise Project STOP, install recorded closed-circuit television surveillance and an alarm system, and limit stock levels and display of pseudoephedrine products.

"Unless using a secure display module, keep only one to two day’s stock on show and hold no more than a fortnight’s worth of high risk stock in your pharmacy. Thieves often assess a pharmacy’s stock levels before a break-in," the guide warns.

Andrew Keller from the Queensland Guild said the guide reinforced the importance of security and provided pharmacies with practical steps to take after a burglary.

Queensland Guild president, Tim Logan, told the Sunshine Coast Daily that it was unfortunate some pharmacies were choosing not to stock pseudoephedrine products at all for fear of being targeted.

"Pseudoephedrine is much more effective than its alternative and it's a shame pharmacists have to say ‘it’s just not worth my while stocking this product'.

"We've got to get pharmacists to have a good hard look at their security and plug any gaps, but we don't want pharmacies to turn in to bank vaults," Mr Logan told the Daily.

The task force will continue to monitor break-ins in Queensland and will be available to provide advice on security at next year’s APP Conference on the Gold Coast from 27 to 30 March.