Police cordon off Allied Pharmacy in Formby

3 hours ago

3 min read

Police have cordoned off Allied Pharmacy on Chapel Lane in Formby village following a break-in during the early hours of Thursday morning, 29 October.

The incident is understood to have taken place at approximately 3am, with officers attending the premises and establishing a police cordon around the pharmacy and neighbouring shopfronts.

Photographs taken this morning show blue and white police tape stretching across the pedestrian area outside Allied Pharmacy and the neighbouring Barnardo’s charity shop, with police officers present at the scene.

Staff arriving for work this morning were reportedly unable to enter the pharmacy immediately and had to wait for police to attend before gaining access to the premises.

At this stage, the full circumstances surrounding the break-in remain unclear.

It is not yet known how entry was gained, whether any medicines or other items were stolen, or whether anyone has been arrested.

The rear of the pharmacy appeared undisturbed, with no visible signs of forced entry or damage. Unlike the front of the premises, there was no police cordon in place at the rear, and everything appeared normal.

The incident comes amid growing concerns nationally about criminal activity targeting community pharmacies, including burglaries, theft of prescription medication and criminal damage.

Pharmacies across the UK facing increasing crime

The break-in in Formby follows reports of similar incidents elsewhere in the country.

Only yesterday, Wednesday 28 October, Pharmacy Business published an article about a pharmacy in East Sussex that had been targeted by intruders.

Healthy-U Pharmacy in Saltdean was broken into on 21 October after offenders smashed a glass panel in the entrance door at 3am.

The pharmacy owner, Dervis Gurol, described how the incident had caused significant disruption and additional security costs, despite nothing being stolen.

He revealed that the offenders had been inside the premises for less than three minutes before leaving.

The pharmacy has since taken steps to improve security, including installing shutters and upgrading CCTV.

National survey reveals worrying figures

In September, the National Pharmacy Association published the findings of a survey involving almost 400 pharmacies across the UK.

The results highlighted the scale of criminal activity affecting community pharmacies.

The survey found that:

89% of respondents had experienced shoplifting during the previous year.
11% had experienced burglaries involving attempts to access prescription medicines.
21% had experienced criminal damage.
35% reported that staff members had been assaulted.
78% reported harassment of pharmacy staff.

The association also revealed that 93% of pharmacies that had reported criminal incidents to police felt the response had been insufficient.

These findings have prompted calls for stronger protection for pharmacies, which provide essential healthcare services while also storing prescription medicines.

There is currently no evidence to suggest that the Formby break-in is connected to any other incidents.

Police enquiries in Formby

The police presence in Chapel Lane this morning has attracted attention from people passing through the village, with part of the pedestrian area cordoned off.

Allied Pharmacy is situated in the heart of Formby village, next to Barnardo’s and next to Chapel Lane Surgery.

The pharmacy provides an important service to local residents, particularly those collecting regular prescriptions.

It is not yet known whether the incident will affect pharmacy services throughout the day.

Formby Bubble is awaiting further information about the circumstances of the break-in.

Anyone who witnessed suspicious activity around Chapel Lane during the early hours of Thursday morning, particularly around 3am, is encouraged to contact Merseyside Police on 101 or report information through the force’s official channels.