In a recent WMBF News report, a man in Myrtle Beach robbed a CVS pharmacy, making off with hundreds of OxyContin pills. The man is said to have been armed during the incident.

According to police reports, the man handed a blue note to the pharmacist. The note included demands for a list of drugs. While the pharmacist was reading the note, the accused removed a handgun from his shirt, cocked the gun and gave the pharmacist 45 seconds to fill his order.

The man was able to make off with two full bottles and an additional open bottle of 40 mg OxyContin pills as well as one full bottle and one open bottle of 80 mg of the same medication. The combination of contents of all bottles totaled roughly 421 pills.

Upon leaving the pharmacy counter, the suspect warned the pharmacist that he would be shot in the head if he found the front door locked while trying to exit the store. The pharmacist revealed there was no way to lock the front door and the man fled the scene.
 

According to Barnstable police Lt. Sean Balcom in a Cape Cod Online report, the spree of bank robberies and home invasions in the area is a result of OxyContin addictions. Balcom has noticed a growing trend over the past five years.

"It used to be you could go a week or two without speaking with someone who’s sober. That’s how we feel now about drugs. We can go days without dealing with someone who isn’t on pills. It’s out of control," said the veteran narcotics investigator who has more than 20 years on the force to his credit.

In Barnstable alone, armed robberies have increased by nearly 100 percent since 2005, from 18 to 35 in 2009. Unarmed robberies have skyrocketed, growing 400 percent from seven in 2005 to 35 in 2009.

While armed and unarmed robberies do not make up a large portion of police department crime statistics, they are still on the rise as a result of growing drug habits.

"The petty crimes are down, but there’s been a drastic increase in more serious crimes, like armed robberies and bank robberies. It’s a result of locals who are opiate-addicted from taking prescription drugs," agreed Yarmouth police Detective Chris Kent. “They are desperate for money and will stop at nothing.”

Police are asking banks in particular to tighten up security to make their locations less attractive to robbers, even if it can hurt customer service. When banks are labeled an easy hit, they become a target for drug users.

The Metro News reported that between September 11 and October 13, police investigated 20 drugstore robberies and four attempted robberies, all which targeted Oxycontin, one of the most popular and potent painkillers on the market.

According to Staff Sgt. Don Sweet of the Ottawa Police Robbery Unit, Oxycontin – often dubbed Hillbilly Heroin – used to be targeted for the drug itself. Now, police believe that these robberies are linked and that the drugs are sold street level through established distribution lines.

“This is way more than what we saw originally,” he said. “You’re always going to see addicted individuals, but this is a newer angle where all of a sudden, we see a huge spike.”

On the street, Oxycontin is priced according to the strength of the particular pill and can be very lucrative for criminals. In Ottwawa, 10, 20 and 40 mg tablets are sold for $20 to $40 a pill, while an 80 mg tablet fetches $40 to $50 per pill.

Police have also investigated thefts of Oxycontin from delivery trucks and pharmacy-related frauds where perpetrators were successful in getting elderly people to pick up the drugs. “It’s very sought after and criminals are seeking different ways of getting in,” Sweet said.

According to Sweet, the majority of the robberies are perpetrated by younger black males using notes. The majority of the robberies happen after 8 p.m. in the suburbs in the west and east ends of the city. While there appears to be no violence involved in these robberies, there is always the threat of violence.