Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Broken glass litters the floor of the back room and hallway beside the pharmacy located within Odessa Drug after a late-night/early-morning breakin-in that netted the thieves drugs and a small amount of cash.
Odessa deputy marshal Bryce Peterson, front, confers with Odessa Drug owner Ted Bruya following last week's break-in and theft of prescription drugs and cash.
Last week Thursday night, or perhaps in the wee hours of Friday morning (night of July 28-29), thieves once again (The Record reported on an earlier break-in at Odessa Drug in March of 2008) broke into Odessa Drug, making off with all of the narcotic painkillers they could find, as well as about $200 in cash, said owner Ted Bruya. Two whole shelves inside the pharmacy were emptied. “They took everything that started with “hydro” or “oxy,” said store employee Megan Clark, “even though several were not even narcotics.”
As in the recent break-in attempt at Ramm Hardware, the rear doors of the store were the initial attempted point of entry, said Bruya, who like Ramm also has a crossbar securing each rear door. Despite attempts by the burglars to pry the doors open, mangling them in the process, the doors stayed in place.
In the case of Odessa Drug, however, one of the doors had above it a window filled with glass construction blocks that the thieves were able to break through. Standing on the store’s garbage can which is stored in the alley behind the store, an opening approximately one foot square was created through which an obviously thin person was apparently able to gain entry. It is assumed that the person inside then passed the drugs and money to an accomplice who remained outside.
Bruya said he has contacted retired masonry expert Delbert Cook to have the glass blocks replaced with brick and mortar. He will also be looking at various options for securing the store, including installing an alarm system and/or security cameras, locking up the narcotics and cash in a safe or purchasing rolling steel shutters to secure the glass front door and windows.
Contemplating one of the few positive aspects of the experience, Clark said that the store employees were just glad that it was not a robbery in which a desperate thief was sticking a gun in their faces.
Odessa’s deputy marshal Bryce Peterson dusted for fingerprints and began investigating the incident early Friday morning. The store remained open for business as usual, while employees were busy trying to determine the extent of what was stolen. The investigation is continuing.
The marshal’s office is asking anyone who may have heard or seen anything suspicious that night to call 982-0141 and give the authorities the information. They can remain anonymous if they so choose.
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