Exclusive video: Pharmacy owners turn to customers to help monitor storefront after 2 break-ins by same person in a day
Pharmacy owner Barsa Falguni said Thursday that for safety reasons she has had to spend more on staffing and she alerted her customers to an ongoing problem that also involves other pharmacies.
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Staff at Total Care Pharmacy in the hamlet of Poughquag are taking extra precautions to prevent further incidents like the one shown in surveillance video they shared with News 12.
Officials told News 12 Ryan Gabriel, 39 of Poughquag, broke into the pharmacy, stole more than 1,000 pills, was arrested nearby, was released, tried to break into the pharmacy again that night, was arrested and again released.
The break-ins happened in November.
Gabriel was arraigned last month on felony charges that include grand larceny, criminal mischief and burglary.
Pharmacy owner Barsa Falguni said Thursday that for safety reasons she has had to spend more on staffing and she alerted her customers to an ongoing problem that also involves other pharmacies.
"We have to use more payroll in order to make sure there's always more than two or three of us at a time," she said. The sad fact is we're protecting ourselves, and one of the reasons that we ended up letting everyone in the town know was that if the law is not going to protect me in New York, then I have to protect myself. I need my community to protect us. We need to look out for each other."
Except for Gabriel's arrest, News 12 has not been able to confirm any arrests connected to any other pharmacy break-ins News 12 has covered over the last two years: two break-ins in Dutchess County besides the two break-ins at Total Care, and four in Putnam County.
Gabriel told News 12 that addiction has disrupted his life and he is in an out-of-town treatment program trying to recover.
He also said he feels bad for all that the community and his family have endured.
"One poor decision has dictated the rest of my life," he said before asking the reporter to consider his family. "This is an ongoing case so I don't know what's going to happen and obviously my life is a disaster. I just ask that you think about my family. I don't care what you say about me. Just think of my family."
Gabriel denied taking part in any other break-ins.
A spokesman for the Dutchess County Sheriff's Office said Gabriel is not connected to other pharmacy burglaries in the county.
Total Care staff said that due to fear that comes with knowing burglary suspects are not held in jail due to New York State bail laws, they are relying on their loyal customers to keep watch.
"People like that guy who did what he did to them — if he ran into some of the customers," customer Doug Sholz said, "he'd be running in the other direction."
Gabriel is due back in Beekman Justice Court on Feb. 26.
