Multiple law enforcement agencies are collaborating, trying to figure out who has been breaking into pharmacies across the Hudson Valley.

"It's really brazen," said Jeff Nichol, a compliance officer for two Dutchess County pharmacies." The way they keep going into stores everywhere, up and down the Hudson Valley."

One of the pharmacies Nichol works at – Beekman Pharmacy – was among the latest break-in victims.

The pharmacy was broken into early Sunday morning.

Another nearby pharmacy, Hopewell Drugstore, was broken into in similar fashion a few days prior.

Beekman Pharmacy owner Aamir Pirani said someone broke through the glass entrance door Sunday before it opened.

Some drugs and some merchandise were stolen.

"We're still trying to figure out what was taken," Pirani said. "They came in. They took some things. The police came. By then, they were like long gone."

News 12 has confirmed four pharmacy break-ins in Putnam County, and another in Bedford, all within the last month.

Authorities said multiple agencies are collaborating on investigations into similar break-ins in the area.

There are similarities among the incidents: front windows or doors were smashed, drugs were stolen and the victims were often independently owned businesses.

The New York division of the Drug Enforcement Agency reports a sharp increase in thefts from pharmacies since 2021, when just five thefts were reported to the agency.

The agency reports 38 thefts in 2022 and 36 in 2023.

DEA officials said the people who break in typically used to be individual drug users, but they are now seeing a transition to organized crime carried out by groups.

"We've heard about burglaries like this all around the area in the last four to 6 months," Pirani said. "It seems like it's the same group of people that are doing this, and they seem pretty good at it too because they haven't been caught yet."

Officials with the Putnam County Sheriff's Office said investigators are treating the break-ins among multiple counties as if they are connected.