The top executive at Walgreens lamented the loss of sales from putting items like toothpaste behind lock and key to crack down on rampant shoplifting that has plagued pharmacy chains around the country.

Keeping products under lock and key dissuaded customers from purchasing them, Walgreens said in earnings call.

Tim Wentworth, CEO of Walgreens Boots Alliance, the parent company of Duane Reade, acknowledged to investors during a Jan. 10 earnings call that the company's asset protection tactic of locking merchandise to prevent retail theft has slowed sales.

In an earnings call, executive Tim Wentworth conceded that locking products up might not be the best move for boosting sales.

Walgreens' CEO talked about the flip side of investing in increased security on a recent earnings call.

Many retail stores across the Bay Area have turned to locking up commonly stolen items to prevent against shoplifting. But there is a downside to that tactic, Walgreens CEO Tim Wentworth said. “When you lock things up,

Many consumers are using the news as an opportunity to air out their grievances about their Walgreens shopping experiences. “No sh*t. Last week I went to Walgreens to pick up a