Security cameras captured men using a crowbar as they sought to burglarize multiple Garden Grove pharmacies over the weekend, officials said Monday.
One attempt was successful, and authorities are investigating whether the same thieves could be tied to similar incidents in Anaheim, Foothill Ranch and Lake Forest, Garden Grove Police Lt. Carl Whitney said.
In Garden Grove, three pharmacies along Westminster Avenue were targeted between 4:15 a.m. and 4:45 a.m. Saturday, and officers responded to each location because alarms were going off, police said.
The only shop that had anything stolen was Ana Pharmacy, at 10191 Westminster Ave., where prescription medications including cough syrup with codeine were taken, officials said.
Surveillance video from Hong’s Pharmacy at 8883 Westminster Ave. shows one man in a bright green sweatshirt walk up to the front entrance and attempt to pry it open with a crowbar.
Video from the third location, Cali Care Pharmacy at 10278 Westminster Ave., shows two men, one of them again using what appears to be a crowbar. They are able to get the door open this time, but leave before breaching the security gate behind it.
The owner of Cali Care, who asked her name not be used, told KTLA she stopped stocking prescription cough syrup because of two previous break-ins in which the drug was stolen.
Whitney said a similar burglary occurred in Anaheim shortly after 3 a.m. Saturday, not long before the Garden Grove businesses were hit.
Two other incidents that may be linked to the series occurred April 29 in Foothill Ranch and May 5 in Lake Forest, according to the lieutenant.
Anyone with information on the case can contact Garden Grove police at 714-741-5704.