Burglars try to break into pharmacy

Burglars try to break into pharmacy

22 May 2013

THIEVES failed in their attempt to break in to a Downpatrick pharmacy last week.

Mooney’s Chemist in Irish Street was targeted sometime between 6pm last Wednesday and 8am the following morning.

Armed with a screwdriver, the thieves tampered with an electrical switch which operates the pharmacy’s security shutter which they managed to open. But their attempts to smash open the front door of the building failed.

The chemist is located less than 100 yards from Downpatrick PSNI station.

Mr. Brian Mooney said the attempt to break into the pharmacy was discovered shortly after 8am.

“The thieves had managed to open the shutter and smashed a window in the front door. But they did not gain access to the pharmacy,” he explained.

Mr. Mooney said the Irish Street business is like any pharmacy and stocks a wide range of drugs, explaining those which are controlled are kept in a safe which has a time delay switch.

“I am pleased the thieves were not able to gain access to the shop. If they had, the alarm would have been triggered,” he explained.

Mr. Mooney said he is relieved that none of his customers were inconvenienced as a result of last week’s attempted break-in.

“The shutter switch will have to be replaced as well a glass panel in the front door, but things could have been a lot worse. I am extremely grateful they were not.

“The attempt to break-in is to me rather a pointless exercise as if the thieves had been looking for controlled drugs they would not have found them as they are locked in the safe.”

Mr. Mooney added: “Dealing with the attempted break-in is something I could well have done without but I am mindful that a much more serious situation could have greeted me when I arrived for work this morning.”