Strange Crime On The Uptick Nationwide: Theft Of Flea Medication For Dogs
HUNTINGTON BEACH (CBSLA.com) — A new and strange crime is trending nationwide -- the theft of flea medication for dogs.
And as CBS2's Stacey Butler reports, the crime has hit Huntington Beach.
She reported from a business that was targeted Thursday morning.
When Dr. Andrew Lewis' pet hospital was broken into last month, he couldn't believe what he saw on security tape.
A thief after just one thing -- flea medication.
"They immediately start stripping the shelves of exactly where all the flea product is," says Dr. Lewis.
The thief got away with $8,000 worth of the meds.
Dr. Lewis' clinic wasn't the only one hit. Early this morning, and just a few miles away, someone threw a rock through the front window of Dr. Maurice Lee's pet clinic.
"I come here early in the morning. Everything upside down," said Dr. Lee.
The thief jumped behind the counter and stole all the flea meds he could carry. He emptied the shelves of all but a few packages of the flea meds, Bravecto and the topical treatment, Revolution.
"It happens a lot lately they say," said Dr. Lee.
Customers like Sheri Tajudin saw a post about the burglary on Facebook.
"It's pretty low. I don't think it can get much lower than that."
Last year, in the same vicinity, Dr. Gill - who runs another vet clinic -- said a man in a mask cat a hole through the outside of his building, broke into his office where he kept his meds and stole $30,000 of the flea medication.
Police around the country have noticed an uptick in the thefts. They say it might sound strange but the meds are expensive -- about $100 a box.
Thieves are likely making a killing selling it on Craigslist or, well, flea markets for half the price.
Doctors say beware of buying the medication off the street.