Thieves attempt to steal 'Ozempic' from Dearborn Heights pharmacy for black market profits
DEARBORN HEIGHTS, Mich. (FOX 2) - Ozempic is causing local police to be on the lookout, as a crew of thieves smashed their way into pharmacies, going after the weight-loss drug which apparently can result in a big payday on the black market.
It is a classic criminal situation, a smash and grab at a local pharmacy, where usually the masked men behind the heist are after painkillers. But, the major get of the night in Dearborn was weight-loss drugs like Ozempic.
"This is the first time I've seen weight loss drugs actually targeted for theft," said Dearborn Police Chief Issa Shain.
Shain said they could be seen loading up boxes of stuff in their Dodge Hellcat, stealing $15,000 worth of weight-loss drugs from Telegraph Pharmacy.
"Yeah it's unsettling, and I'd like to take them all into custody as soon as possible," said Shain.
Dearborn police have arrested Martize Roberson, who was charged on Thursday. Meanwhile, police say it was not hard to put him at the scene of the crime, as he was on tether for previous felonies.
Can the profit really be that good?
"Maybe asking the guy who needs Ozempic, I think it comes down to an economic factor right," said Paul Vanderplow of Dearborn Heights Police. "Those who need it are really in need of it and that being a shortage it creates a black market for it."
A shortage of weight-loss drugs, plus the extreme demand makes for the perfect black market moneymaker, at the cost of real patients.
"Narcotics theft is not just being stolen and on the street, people need these drugs to help their livelihood and health," said Vanderplow.
The thieves were smashing their way into some big profits, but a pharmacy in Dearborn Heights they tried to hit in November, did not go as planned. Superior Care Pharmacy with a superior security system stopped them.
"You come here. We are going to go after you and if we catch you, we are going to put you in the system. We have no excuse for that," said Vanderplow.