A man from North Carolina made a big mistake after ripping a safe out of a pharmacy - dragging it past a police car.

Ryan Mullins, 22, raided a pharmacy in the town of Swansboro in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

WCTI12 reports that after breaking the window, he attached a nylon rope to a 45 kilo safe containing prescription drugs and drove off with the safe trailing behind him.

A short while later, a police officer saw Mullins' car in his mirror and noticed something bouncing along behind it.After letting him pass, the officer saw the safe and pulled Mullins over.

He has been charged with a number of felonies, including breaking and entering, larceny and trafficking opium or heroin.He will make his first court appearance this morning.