Narcotics-fueled thefts target Walgreens pharmacies across the Central Valley
A pair of robberies at the two Walgreens locations in Merced this week may be linked to a string of similar crimes in other Central Valley cities, police officials said Friday.
Fresno, Visalia and Modesto also have experienced burglaries or robberies at Walgreens pharmacies this month.
Three burglaries and one robbery at Walgreens stores in Fresno have been reported in October, including one location that was hit twice, Fresno police said.
Visalia police on Oct. 9 arrested four men on suspicion of burglary and conspiracy at a Walgreens on North Demaree Street, officers said in a news release.
Fresno police have investigated dozens of burglaries at local pharmacies since August. Police officials say many of the thefts have a similar pattern with two to three men involved in either breaking in when the stores are closed or coordinating a burglary if the store is open, authorities said.
Once inside, thieves steal codeine, hydrocodone and promethazine, Fresno Police Lt. Mark Hudson said. In some case, thieves have threatened store employees with violence.
"They're going directly after (the drugs)," Hudson said. "They’re not spending a whole lot of time in there, knowing there is surveillance."
In Merced, the Walgreens locations on G Street and R Street were robbed within 15 minutes on Tuesday night. Drugs were stolen in both incidents. Employees described the suspects as two black men wearing hoodies, police said.
"Those are the drugs that are going to have high street value," Merced Police Capt. Matt Williams said. "It sounds to me they went in knowing what they were there for."
No arrests have been made, Williams said.
On Thursday evening, the Walgreens in the 1000 block of McHenry Avenue in Modesto was robbed.
Three people, described as two black men and a Hispanic man, jumped behind the pharmacy counter, forced employees to open a cabinet and swiped narcotics, according to Heather Graves, community service officer for the Modesto Police Department.
Police told the Modesto Bee the crime occurred at 7:30 a.m. Thursday and one customer was injured during the theft.
Williams and Hudson said law enforcement agencies in the Central Valley have been communicating with each other regarding the crimes.
"It's a high probability that it's the same crew hitting Fresno and the cities around Fresno," Hudson said.
Walgreens Media Relations representative Phil Caruso would not comment Friday on any changes to safety protocol or equipment due to the crimes, citing security concerns.
"We are cooperating with law enforcement in their investigation," Caruso states in an email response to the Sun-Star, deferring further questions to local law enforcement.
This story was originally published October 27, 2017 at 5:06 PM with the headline "Narcotics-fueled thefts target Walgreens pharmacies across the Central Valley."