pharmacies, new favorite targets for thieves

The attackers initially entered as simple customers. They pretend to make a phone call and take the opportunity to slip luxury cosmetics into their bag four times. But a saleswoman spots them and alerts the pharmacist, director of the pharmacy. The most violent part of the scene will take place out of sight of the cameras, outside, where the pharmacist pursued the thieves. “She managed to catch one, but he pushed her away and unfortunately she fell on her vertebra,” confides a witness. The victim is still in the hospital and will not be able to walk again for three months.

Significant financial losses

Assaults like this occur on average one per day in French pharmacies, which is 17% more than three years ago. On the front line, pharmacists, victims of thieves who are often aggressive and sometimes have an unstable psychiatric profile. At our request, Cyril Colombani, pharmacist in the Alpes-Maritimes, launched a call for testimonies among his colleagues. In just a few minutes, the responses poured in. According to him, more and more cosmetics are being targeted. Each year, he estimates losing between 8,000 euros and 20,000 euros of goods.