L.A. County pharmacy owner devastated after latest robbery

A Montebello pharmacy owner was in tears after her business was robbed again.

Vista Pharmacy manager Anhthu Tran says she and her husband were awoken by the sound of the alarm being triggered at their store around 3:20 a.m. Saturday. When they checked the security camera footage, they saw multiple suspects breaking into their business.

Tran and her alarm company both called 9-1-1. But by the time authorities arrived, the thieves had made off with roughly $10,000 of goods.

The suspects were able to take all of the cough medicine the business had on hand, as well as the safe which Tran says had narcotics in it that are used to fulfill prescriptions.

“They broke into the front window, my heart just dropped,” Tran said to KTLA 5. “It’s happening again? This already happened last year … is this the new normal?”

This is the second time in a year that Tran’s pharmacy has been targeted by burglars. She was in tears when she shared the hardships she’s faced due to the break-ins.

“We’re already struggling with the reimbursements from the insurance companies, and now this is happening to us and we are being robbed,” she said. “It’s just unbelievable and I don’t think it’s fair for any independent pharmacy to go through this.”

Tran says she knows several other small business owners whose stores have been targeted by smash-and-grab burglaries as of late. She’s hopeful that she and other independent business owners will get the protection they need.

“I really hope that by me speaking out, that other members of the community can be more aware about what’s going on,” Tran said. “We need a stronger police presence.”

The Vista Pharmacy owner believes small businesses are being targeted by burglars because they don’t have the high level of security seen in many corporate outlets.

“This shouldn’t be happening, is this the new norm?” Tran asked. “What are we going to do about it?”

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