Cape Cod Crime Growing Due to Prescription Drug Addictions
Posted on March 18, 2010An OxyContin addiction can greatly impact an individual’s ability to obey the law. A spree of bank robberies in the Cape Cod community over the past six months is directly related to the power of the painkiller.
According to Barnstable police Lt. Sean Balcom in a Cape Cod Online report, the spree of bank robberies and home invasions in the area is a result of OxyContin addictions. Balcom has noticed a growing trend over the past five years.
"It used to be you could go a week or two without speaking with someone who’s sober. That’s how we feel now about drugs. We can go days without dealing with someone who isn’t on pills. It’s out of control," said the veteran narcotics investigator who has more than 20 years on the force to his credit.
In Barnstable alone, armed robberies have increased by nearly 100 percent since 2005, from 18 to 35 in 2009. Unarmed robberies have skyrocketed, growing 400 percent from seven in 2005 to 35 in 2009.
While armed and unarmed robberies do not make up a large portion of police department crime statistics, they are still on the rise as a result of growing drug habits.
"The petty crimes are down, but there’s been a drastic increase in more serious crimes, like armed robberies and bank robberies. It’s a result of locals who are opiate-addicted from taking prescription drugs," agreed Yarmouth police Detective Chris Kent. “They are desperate for money and will stop at nothing.”
Police are asking banks in particular to tighten up security to make their locations less attractive to robbers, even if it can hurt customer service. When banks are labeled an easy hit, they become a target for drug users.
