Theives Steal $75 Million in Eli Lilly Drugs

Thieves broke into an Eli Lilly (LLY) storage building in Enfield, Conn., and stole as much as $75 million in prescription drugs, according to local police. The action took place during heavy storms that went though the region last weekend. Among the pharmaceuticals stolen were large amounts of antidepressants Prozac and Cymbalta and the anti-psychotic Zyprexa.

The robbers appear to have disabled the alarm in the warehouse and entered through a hole in the roof. Enfield police Lt. Steven Kaselouskas said the drugs may move onto the black market or be shipped outside the U.S., according to Reuters.

The news is probably an indication that pharmaceutical storage facilities do not, in some cases, have enough security. Expensive drugs are potentially worth a lot of money to thieves. The drugs stolen from Lilly could pose some danger because they are potent prescription treatments that should not be taken by people without a doctor's approval.

Big pharma companies, already dealing with high R&D costs and drugs that are losing their patents, now have one more thing to worry about.