Police offer reward for help in stopping pharmacy robbery suspect

June 11, 2009 5:23 pm
Auburn police are asking the public to help capture a robber who is targeting pharmacies in the area and placing unwitting customers and pharmacy staff at risk.
Auburn police are asking the public to help capture a robber who is targeting pharmacies in the area and placing unwitting customers and pharmacy staff at risk.

The Auburn Police Department and Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound are offering a cash reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest of the suspect or suspects believed to be responsible for a pharmacy robbery that occurred at Walgreens Pharmacy, located at 1701 Auburn Way S. in Auburn.

According to police, the suspect entered the store via the front door, jumped over the counter and demanded controlled substances at Walgreens at about 8:45 p.m. on May 20. The suspect fled through the rear emergency exit after he was given an undetermined amount of prescription medicines.

The suspect is described as a white male between 25 and 35 years of age, approximately 6 feet, 1 inch tall, with a medium build. He wore a baseball cap, sunglasses, blue jeans, white running shoes and a blue sweatshirt with “Hollister” across the front.

The cash reward is donated by pharmaceutical company Purdue Pharma L.P., which operates RxPATROL®, a collaborative effort among industry, pharmacists and law enforcement to collect, collate, analyze and disseminate information on pharmacy theft. Further information is available to authorized personnel at www.RxPATROL.org.

Anyone with information about this robbery or the suspect described is asked to call the Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound Hotline at (800) 222-TIPS (8477).

“It’s important for people to know that all information that we get is kept completely confidential,” said Myrle Carner with Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound. “Callers never have to give their names or appear in court. The Crime Stoppers tip line does not use any tape recording or caller ID devices.”