Crime & Safety

Reward Offered For Pharmacy Bandit

Police from the Vernon, South Windsor, Manchester, East Hartford and Meriden departments are asking for the public's help in an investigation into incidents they believe are connected.

Written and reported by Patch Editor Chris Dehnel

The investigation into a series of pharmacy robberies in the area has intensified as police and Crime Stoppers are now offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to the arrest of the suspect or suspects responsible for a pharmacy robbery at the Walgreens, located at 529 Talcottville Rd., in Vernon.
 
The reward was announced at a Thursday news conference at the Vernon Police Department by representatives from the Vernon, South Windsor, Manchester, East Hartford and Meriden departments.  

Police believe the Vernon robbery is connected to similar robberies in those towns. 

The cash reward is being donated by Purdue Pharma L.P., which operates RxPATROL, a collaborative effort between the pharmaceutical industry, pharmacists, and law enforcement officials to collect and process data on pharmacy theft.

The Vernon robbery took place on Saturday at 11 a.m., a busy time at the intersection of Dart Hill and Talcottville roads, where the Walgreens sits. Talcottville Road is state Route 83.

A man armed with a handgun walked into the store and headed to the pharmacy, police said. The robber displayed the handgun and only demanded prescription medication from the pharmacist, police said. 

After getting an undisclosed amount of prescription drugs, the robber left the store carrying two white plastic trays under his left arm. The robber walked through the store and walked through the parking lot along the Dart Hill Road side of the store toward the rear of the building, police said. 

Regarding the Vernon robbery, police are describing the robber as a white male, wearing a dark grey colored baseball cap with a flat brim pulled down, dark-colored sunglasses, a grey or dark colored plain crew neck sweatshirt and dark colored pants.

Police said the robber is approximately 5-foot-10 to 6-feet tall with a  muscular to husky build. 

The suspect is "older," approximately 45 to 55 years old, police said. 

Police believe the armed robbery is connected to several other pharmacy robberies in the area - on Sept. 15 at a Walgreens in Manchester, on Sept. 25 at a CVS in South Windsor, on Oct, 3 at a Walgreens in Meriden and on Oct. 11 at a CVS in East Hartford. 

Vernon police and South Windsor police are asking any witnesses to call them at 860-872-9126 and 860-644-2551, respectively, and the reward is being offered through the Crime Stoppers line at 888-479-8477.

"Any detail, no matter how minor, could be important to this investigation," Lt. William Meier of the Vernon Police Department said. "We know members of the public did witness the crime and we need them to come forward."

Like the local police departments, Crime Stoppers will keep information within the realm of the investigation. 

"It's important for people to know that all information we get is kept completely confidential," Crime Stoppers President Gene Ferrara said. "Callers never have to give their names or appear in court. The tip line does not use any tape recording or caller ID devices."

In each crime, the suspect flashed a handgun and asked for prescription medication. He had on a red baseball cap with a Red Sox "B" logo and a green pullover jacket during the South Windsor robbery. 

Lt. Scott Custer of the SWPD said customers at area pharmacies should assume the gun is real and "be careful" if they see the man. 

"We are concerned about a propensity for violence. Call 9-1-1," he said. "Be a good witness, but do not try to take action."

Police said in one instance, he was followed by store personnel, but the man turned toward them with the gun and the staffers retreated back into the store.

Police said the man speaks "in a gruff voice."

"We are not sure what his motivation is," said Capt. Christopher Davis of the Manchester Police Department. "We are trying to get the information out there because he has to be known. Before this escalates, we want to get him off the street. Someone knows him."

Police described robbers hitting pharmacies for drugs as "a new trend."


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