JEFFERSON COUNTY, Oh. -- The recent increase in demand for illegal prescription drugs is causing change at the pharmacy counter. Stores are now not only re-evaluating their security plans, but also making major high-tech upgrades to their systems.

Pharmacy owners say the upgrades act as a good deterrent; police say the changes make the crimes easier to investigate.

“We have an alarm in [this window], but we have the bars now. We didn’t have that [before],” said Jim Koopman.

Koopman is a pharmacist and part owner at Toronto Apothecary, which has been the target of criminals several times.

“We had series of break-ins shortly after we opened,” he said. “I was held up at gun point for methadone a couple years back. So, we’ve definitely had our share.”

Koopman thought at the time that the store had an effective security system. Several break-ins helped point out weaknesses that have since been fixed.

Now, Koopman believes his store has “the best of the best.”

Since the initial crimes that happened shortly after Toronto Apothecary opened, there have been major upgrades in security.

The pharmacy now has several panic buttons that can be pushed when a robbery is in progress. 360-degree motion detectors have also been installed along with glass-break sensors that are so sensitive they are often triggered by the delivery of the morning paper.

Aside from the upgrades, Koopman says that small changes have been just as effective.

“Just the camera angles,” he said. “Things you don’t think about.  Maybe areas where you might have had coverage gaps.”

For police who investigate these crimes, the upgrades are good news. Not only are crimes tougher to commit, better security systems make them easier to investigate.

“That’s good to hear,” said Steubenville Police Chief Bill McCafferty. “Not only for us to help catch the perpetrator, but to deter them from wanting to rob these places.”

McCafferty says that older or less sophisticated systems can make investigating these crimes more difficult.

“[In some instances] the video leaves a lot to be desired,” he said. “[The cameras] could be better aimed at the counters.”

And McCafferty has seen the increase in pharmacy crimes first-hand.

“Up until 2011, we didn’t have any robberies of pharmacies,” he said. “Since last year, we’ve had three.”

If you ask Jim Koopman, the investment in new security features has been worth it.

 “We haven’t had a problem in several years,” he said. “So, I think that the measures we have taken have done well.”