Bandit Solutions' fog foils Oregon pharmacy robbery

    Jan. 17, 2008
    Dense fog prevents entry, forces burglar to flee without prescription narcotics
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    Following a rash of pharmacy burglaries in Oregon, an effective solution has been found to prevent the theft of valuable prescription drugs.

    Bandit Solutions' fog security system has been credited by police in Medford, Oregon, with keeping dangerous narcotics off the street after the system thwarted an attempted burglary at the West Main Pharmacy in late December. The would-be burglar got quite a surprise and immediately fled when the pharmacy area quickly filled with dense fog.

    Police arrived two minutes after the alarm was tripped to find the pharmacy unoccupied. Once the fog cleared, officers learned that the would-be burglar had been forced to flee with only a few bottles of cough syrup to show for his efforts.

    "We suggested Bandit Solutions' fog security system for the West Main Pharmacy because we knew that other pharmacies in the area had been burglarized of hundreds of thousands of dollars of narcotic drugs and fog would be a perfect solution for this problem," said Henry Knepp, a security consultant for SOS Alarm, the company that installed the Bandit system. "As this incident clearly demonstrates, Bandit fog is an extremely effective and safe method of preventing smash-and-grab burglaries."

    News coverage of the success of Bandit's fog system in preventing the attempted burglary quickly spread, started with an article in Medford's Mail Tribune newspaper and then snowballing, reaching the Associated Press and newspapers across the country, as well as national and local newscasts.

    "Fog security is a relatively new type of security system here although it has been proven in Europe and around the world," said Mario Costa, executive vice president of Bandit Solutions. "That police credited Bandit with preventing the theft of prescription drugs is a powerful statement, which will have a profound effect in spurring approval and acceptance in this country. We encourage alarm dealers to offer fog security to their customers."

    The Bandit fog system creates a fast-spreading, long-lasting dense fog that fills a room in three to five seconds and prevents intruders from entering the premises. The unit can be integrated with an alarm system and can be programmed to be triggered by motion detectors or any other type of sensors. Bandit's fog has a pleasant minty smell and a white color that distinguishes it from smoke. Depending on the size of a room, ventilation systems and customer needs, the fog can last for up to an hour without leaving any residue or damaging electronic equipment.