Dunedin CIB Detective Trevor Thompson said police were searching for three people after they allegedly reversed a dark blue Subaru Legacy station wagon through the Frederick St entrance of the pharmacy at 3.55am yesterday.
The occupants then got out of the car and smashed the remaining obstacles in the doorway with a sledge hammer.
A large quantity of drugs, including cold and flu tablets were taken in the raid. The active ingredient in the tablets was pseudoephedrene which could be combined with acids, caustics and solvents to manufacture P (methamphetamine).
However, Det Thompson said he could not confirm the tablets taken were to be used in the manufacture of methamphetamine in Dunedin.
‘‘They have smashed a door, in close proximity to the hospital, and people would have been driving around at the time. It was a cavalier act.''
Pharmacy co-owner Jamie Adamson said the store's security firm arrived three minutes after the doors were smashed, but by that time it was too late.
‘‘They were gone. So they knew what they were doing. They didn't go for much else - mainly just the cold and flu tablets.''
Mr Adamson said the burglary was a ‘‘disaster'' because his wife and pharmacy owner Sian Ellis recently had a baby, six weeks premature.
‘‘This is the last thing we need.''
However, he was pleased noone was injured in the incident. The last time the pharmacy was robbed was in 1996 when staff were held up at gunpoint.
‘‘This time, no-one was here, no-one was hurt, and the door can be replaced. We were lucky,'' he said.
Det Thompson said the car used in the burglary was stolen and was later found abandoned on Newington Ave, Maori Hill.
Investigations were continuing, and he called for anyone with information about the incident to
contact Dunedin Central Police Station.
Dunedin Police are also investigating a burglary at Zucchini Bros Restaurant in Roslyn. The two incidents were not thought to be related.
