Several burglaries have recently taken place at pharmacies in Luxembourg, notably in Bettembourg, Schouweiler, Kehlen, and Bertrange, though the break-ins have yielded little cash and, in at least one case, nothing at all.
Overnight from 26 to 27 March, a pharmacist in Bettembourg was woken in the middle of the night by the security company responsible for monitoring her premises. After an alarm was triggered in her pharmacy, she immediately drove there with her daughter.
Speaking to RTL, Danielle Becker-Bauer recounted that when they arrived at the scene, the police were already there. Together, they watched the CCTV footage and were able to make out the faces of two burglars. She noted that the culprits did not appear to be professionals, as they were not wearing gloves or balaclavas and left fingerprints everywhere. In addition, one of them injured himself while forcing the door open, leaving bloodstains at the scene. The burglars also had little time to search the premises, as the alarm was instantly triggered at the security company.
The CCTV footage showed that the two individuals briefly broke into the pharmacy. However, nothing was stolen – neither cash nor medication. “On the CCTV footage, you could see that they were mainly interested in the tills. This is strange, however, as very few people pay in cash at a pharmacy”, the pharmacist said. She testified that no money was left in the till overnight, adding that “narcotics, meaning anaesthetics or controlled substances, are kept in a safe”.
This was not the only pharmacy where burglars have tried their luck in recent weeks. In Bertrange, a pharmacy was burgled overnight from 31 March to 1 April, and cash was stolen. The same occurred in Schouweiler, where in December the culprits made off with €1,400. Another attempt took place at the same location in January, but without success. An additional burglary occurred overnight from 1 to 2 April at a pharmacy in Kehlen, where the perpetrators stole €60 worth of coins.
The pharmacist from Bettembourg said she feels somewhat less secure since the break-in. A camera has been installed at the entrance for night shifts. “It now monitors the night hatch. That way, we can also see who turns up there”, Becker-Bauer stated.
The pharmacist from Schouweiler added that police had come to assess the burglary for insurance purposes, but officers indicated that it would not be easy to track down the culprits, as this time they were wearing gloves and masks.
All of this ultimately for very little gain, as stealing a significant sum of money is not really viable in pharmacies, according to the witnesses interviewed by RTL.
