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Thieves bust through pharmacy's wall

By Jason Miles - bio | email | Twitter | Facebook

MEMPHIS, TN (WMC-TV) - A landmark Memphis drug-store was victimized overnight, as for a second time this month, burglars bored through a brick wall to enter the store.

Police responded once again to Wiles-Smith Drugs onUnion Avenue in Midtown, where owner Charles Smith was once again left to clean up the mess.

"Once a rat gets in, they keep coming back in the same hole," Smith said.

Those "rats" have bored a hole through the rear exterior wall of Smith's business twice in one month.

Once inside, the crooks knew exactly what they were searching for: controlled prescription drugs to use themselves or possibly sell on the street.

"They don't waste time on the things that are not any good to them," Smith said.

While the building has an alarm and redundant security on all doors, parts of the solid brick wall are not wired.  You wouldn't think it would be necessary, but after a second break-in, Smith promises to be more prepared if crooks call again.

"I kind of wish they would, because I'd like to catch them," he said. "I don't mean that being macho. I'd just like to keep them from doing this to someone else."

Meanwhile, Smith said he has no plans to let these recent crimes disrupt this midtown institution.

"This store's been here 68 years, and I've been here 40 of them," he said. "It would be kind of hard to leave."

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