The state of Florida is fast-becoming the worst place in the world when it comes to the problem of prescription medications. Why do you think that is the case?

Is it because there are so many retirees, and hence people with more prescriptions. Perhaps it is the number of doctors and pharmacies in the area. Then again, it may just be there are a lot of thieves in the state.

In my opinion Florida’s problem stems from users. There are so many people addicted to prescription medication that the problem is an epidemic for the state.

Not only are people using these meds, but stealing them too according to the Washington Post.

A crime ring based out of Florida stole at least $80 million worth of prescription drugs, including one of the nation’s biggest heists in 2010, and has now been broken up following a three-year undercover FBI probe.

A total of 22 people were charged. The thieves hit warehouses and stole tractor-trailers around the country, often from highway rest stops, and brought the drugs to South Florida and New Jersey in an attempt to sell them.

The medications included antidepressants, anti-psychotics and treatments for cancer, acne, epilepsy, arthritis, autoimmune disorders and even aspirin and even Flintstones children’s vitamins.

In addition to the drugs, the thieves also stole more than $20 million in other goods, including thousands of bottles of Johnnie Walker Scotch whisky, thousands of cases of cigarettes from an Illinois warehouse, 64,000 cell phones and 200 inflatable boats.

These guys are incredibly brazen. One of the thieves, 37-year-old Amaury Villa, was also charged with his brother, Amed Villa, 46, in the March 2010 theft of more than $75 million in drugs from an Eli Lilly & Co. warehouse.

The thieves cut a hole in the roof of the warehouse, used ropes to lower themselves to the floor and disabled alarms before using a forklift to load pallets of drugs into a getaway vehicle.

There is a good chance these guys are going to spend serious time behind bars. While a stop theft class may not have prevented these thefts, they certainly can be helpful in most situations.