Gunman steals oxycontin from Mishawaka pharmacy

Tribune Staff Report

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CVS pharmacy oxycontin robbery

Police use a dog to track a suspect Thursday in the armed robbery of the CVS next to Martin's on Ironwood Drive near Lincoln Way East. (Tribune Photo/JIM RIDER)

By Beth Boehne

Story Created: Nov 20, 2008 at 4:18 PM EST

Story Updated: Nov 20, 2008 at 5:01 PM EST

MISHAWAKA – Police are searching for an armed man who robbed the CVS pharmacy on Ironwood Drive Thursday afternoon.

Just after 2:40 p.m., police say a man wearing a brown hooded sweatshirt displayed a handgun and demanded oxycontin from the pharmacy counter of the store at 304 N. Ironwood.

The man received an undetermined amount of the narcotic drug and ran out a rear emergency exit into a nearby neighborhood.

Police using dogs searched the neighborhood south of the store, near the intersection of Ironwood and Lincoln Way West, but were unable to find the man.

A similar robbery took place at the store two weeks earlier, on Nov. 6, when a man robbed the store of more than 500 prescription pain killers.

Monday, Nov 24 at 3:59 PM Hoodie guy wrote ...

RE: JR your statement is profiling! you CAN NOT decriminate against people that where hoodies! it is people like you that are all the time trying to keep us hoodie wearing people down

Saturday, Nov 22 at 12:52 PM Another dumb schmuck wrote ...

I had Oxycontin before Rush did.....I found it pretty much worthless as a pain killer. I like generic Vicodin much, much better.....1/2 a pill takes the pain and a whole one makes you sleep. My original doctor just was sure I would get addicted to it, but I've been taking it for years now with NO problem of addiction at all.....another doctor told a relative that if you use it for pain, you won't get addicted, but if you use it for the high, all bets are off.

Saturday, Nov 22 at 12:10 PM Anonymous wrote ...

WSBT thanks for the description of the guy your a lot of help. I'm sure they'll catch him.

Saturday, Nov 22 at 9:46 AM Corinne Carlisle wrote ...

I got guards all over the place but still the creep keeps coming in and takes all the oxicontin pills. I am sure he or she is taking lots of them. They do it like a candy. Popping all pill at the same time and then go to take a nap. Doctors recomend rest and relaxation after injesting oxicontin because of its lethargic effect. No wonder people look and act like zombies when they got this medicine. If a cat got hold of it, make sure she does not go into coronary arrest because it so strong for th

Saturday, Nov 22 at 12:08 AM Jen wrote ...

The people who steal the oxycontin aren't always using them for themselves. Big money is out on the street for these pills. It's too bad that we may have to go back to the old days when the only places that could fill that type of prescription were the hospital pharmacies.

Friday, Nov 21 at 12:26 PM duh wrote ...

oxycontin for acne? I bet you think that people induce labor with Castrol too.

Friday, Nov 21 at 11:48 AM anonymousest wrote ...

my doctor gaved me them oxicutin pills back a few year ago i never taked them but then my dog got in the pills bottle chew it clean through and eated em all he got real odd like keep smaking his head on the wall but then he die so i guess im glad dont take them after all. remember, that's not a donut!

Friday, Nov 21 at 11:44 AM Dr. Fine wrote ...

Actually Billy Threes is correct and my assistant, Mr. Howard agrees. Oxycontin is a placebo and always has been. M&M's work better, especially the brown ones.

Friday, Nov 21 at 11:34 AM Anonymous wrote ...

CVS does have security guards in some of their stores, just not all of them. This needs to change. PUT GUARDS IN ALL THE STORES!!!!

Friday, Nov 21 at 11:27 AM Clement Simmonds wrote ...

So much is wrong in this story, the theft, the chasing (his feet, did you think of them?) and mainly it is this societies dependence on drugs of all sorts. Drugs have a long history and can be traced back to the workings of witches. If you take drugs of any type, you are a sinner. G_d (I moan in supplication at his very name) gave us prayer to solve all our ills, please people pray yourself healthy and stop imbibing the effluence of witchcraftery!

Friday, Nov 21 at 10:44 AM Billy Threes wrote ...

Of course anonimous are yu a doctor? or are you in pain. there are a lot medications in your medicine cart and `pick the ones that can kill the pain quicker than the others. Is tylenol better than Oxicontin? Of course, my feet hurt so bad because of the cold and the pedal in my red Toyota that gets stuck all the time. Did you change your oil yet? I saw a lot of cars puffing up and coughing like someone is chokin to death. Please, drivers take care of your cars so you wont get stuck in the snow.

Friday, Nov 21 at 10:35 AM lucy wrote ...

Eileen! Oxycontin is not prescribed for ACNE!! Did you go to the doctor with him? hhhmmmm...

Friday, Nov 21 at 10:32 AM lucy wrote ...

Fyi- to those that don't know-narcotics at this level are locked in a cabinet.

Friday, Nov 21 at 10:25 AM lucy wrote ...

I used to work at a CVS in another city and was robbed of drugs twice, especially oxycontin. In one particular case the robber stayed in the store to take the pills with alcohol off the shelf. Little did he know the pharmacist knows more than he and slipped him a pill to knock him out--didn't take long. It was more of a case that he wanted to kill himself but I think they should have an "oxycontin bait bottle" filled with placebo and a micro-chip. Then they could track the robber down.

Friday, Nov 21 at 10:12 AM Anonymous wrote ...

Oxycontin is strictly for pain. You other people must be confused by what you are taking.

Friday, Nov 21 at 10:11 AM 2 birds with one stone wrote ...

Arm pharmacists. You kill a thief and a drug addict. Why not???

Friday, Nov 21 at 9:41 AM Tim wrote ...

These people aren't always popping the pill, they are grinding it up and snorting it! They get more of the narcotic effect this way.

Friday, Nov 21 at 9:22 AM Eileen wrote ...

My son used oxycontin for his acne. This thief must have had a bad case of it.

Friday, Nov 21 at 8:51 AM ME wrote ...

There are no security guards at CVS stores, only security cameras...that is the problem. I worked at a different CVS in our area, and never really felt very safe there. I hope the consider getting guards at ALL of their stores now!

Friday, Nov 21 at 8:38 AM Anonymous wrote ...

Thank you, "corrected info". I did not realize there was a 304 N. Ironwood in Mishawaka and a 304 N. Ironwood in South Bend, that are about 3 miles apart.

Friday, Nov 21 at 7:49 AM joe mi wrote ...

its going to get worst no one is safe anymore

Friday, Nov 21 at 5:52 AM Deborah wrote ...

I take this medication for severe chronic pain. It is very difficult to deal with pharmacies and DR's already to get medication that I need to help me walk semi normal. People that do this cause more problems for those that truly need the medication. This medication is made for those that need to be on meds long term. Vicodin and Percocet contain tylenol that over time destroys the liver and kidneys. This medication doesn't have it. Once again honest people will pay for actions of thieves.

Friday, Nov 21 at 1:37 AM Gary N. Ginger wrote ...

Hey hey hey! Fat Albert says robbing pharmacies isn't cool. Hey hey hey!

Thursday, Nov 20 at 11:53 PM CVS'er wrote ...

(1) Anonymous from 4:52pm- 304 N. Ironwood is roughly a half block from Lincolnway East which is near the Ironwood intersection by where Don Medow used to be. (2)Becky from 8:44pm- You really have nothing to worry about with your Mom working at the Bittersweet CVS store because it wouldn't matter what Pharmacy a person works for, especially when you're dealing with some nutcase that has a drug addiction like in this case. (3) This CVS was hit before, they need a cop here to stop a repeat.

Thursday, Nov 20 at 11:46 PM Cornfusion wrote ...

Readers have made the observation that the description of the suspect does not always include race. I have seen all races represented in reports at one time or another but I'm failing to see why it would not be an essential piece of information every time. Surely the person being robbed could provide that information to the police. Why would it not be part of the story, white, black, Hispanic or Asian. And on the rare occasion where they truly can't tell simply say, race could not be determined.

Thursday, Nov 20 at 11:34 PM Anonymous wrote ...

my god not in misawaka

Thursday, Nov 20 at 8:44 PM becky wrote ...

My mom works at the CVS on bettersweet she has been with CVS along time i remember her working there when i was 3 or 4 and this kind of crap scares me to death knowing my mom has to be in there to make a living i worry about her every day she leaves for work

Thursday, Nov 20 at 8:41 PM G wrote ...

Crime Wave has begun ! Here it come Mishawaka !!

Thursday, Nov 20 at 7:48 PM Anonymous wrote ...

I was on Oxycontin for two after my first shoulder surgery. That was only thing that took the pain away so I can see how people can get addicted to this so easily. I'm glad the doctor only had me on it for only two weeks otherwise I might still crave it. Unfortunately my shoulder still hurts even after more than a year since my last surgery.

Thursday, Nov 20 at 6:50 PM Corrected info wrote ...

(1) response to anonymous - 304 N. Ironwood - Mishawaka is exactly 3 blocks away from LWW in Mish - you are thinking of SB This is the pharmacy south of the river but east of Ironwood - ergo Mishawaka (Ironwood and the river are part of the city line. (2) - in response to Ronald McFerren - Oxycontin is a pain medication and not an antidepressant. (3) in response to Common Sense - it is illegal in the state of IN and many other states to mail a narcotic because it requires identification.

Thursday, Nov 20 at 6:36 PM Hurtin wrote ...

I have severe arthritis and my doctor won't even prescribe Oxycontin for periodic hellish flare-ups. I don't know if this is because Medicare won't pay or they're afraid an older person will get addicted or if it is physically dangerous to an older person's health. Meanwhile, Rush Limbaugh gets addicted and has to be detoxed from his mega-dose habit. And of course the addicts are getting all they want by hook or crook. Why develope all this stuff if the docs won't give it to they who need it?

Thursday, Nov 20 at 6:35 PM painismymiddlename wrote ...

i have been on oxy for about 6 years , due to a severe back injury due to a motorcycle accident not of my own making. this is an effective drug for pain, if its used as directed, i have never taken more than prescribed, but those people who steal this drug, are no better then crack heads, if it wasnt this drug, it would be another, the difference is, there is a place on every corner to find their fix, they just have to commit a crime to do it.

Thursday, Nov 20 at 6:09 PM Dazzle wrote ...

It's time pharmacy's were like community wide credit union with the big thick glass.I would rather them be safe who cares about the appearance

Thursday, Nov 20 at 5:58 PM Anonymous wrote ...

oxycontin is not an anti-depressant, it is a hardcore pain killer. it also, has been called "hillbilly heroin" Let's just be happy that there was not any shooting, and everyone is ok. Karma is a bad mother. this low life will get what he has coming.

Thursday, Nov 20 at 5:55 PM 4:52 Anon.... wrote ...

Several miles? Um... it's like right next to Martin's (across from the IU South Bend apartments). Get a map. Get a clue. Maybe you won't get lost!

Thursday, Nov 20 at 5:46 PM spacecadet wrote ...

99% of crime is drug related think the cocaine cartel should bail out GM

Thursday, Nov 20 at 5:31 PM Ronald McFerren wrote ...

He must be on a deep depression and did not have enough cash to get some medication for his ills that ussually this time of the year starting with the cold and sneezing and all that brings depression. You cant get through roads because it is packed with drunk drivers and the ice snow storms that unables us to see well. Oxicontin is needed for depression and its side effects are walking like a robot if you can walk like anything in this cold snowy winty day. You might as well give it up and then

Thursday, Nov 20 at 5:20 PM Mary wrote ...

This is definetly getting out of control with all the robberies/Murders etc. This CVS has been hit numerous times. Maybe something is wrong with the security of this store?

Thursday, Nov 20 at 5:02 PM Anonymous wrote ...

No picture?

Thursday, Nov 20 at 5:02 PM Common Sense wrote ...

Hmmm. Why are we not smart enough to not keep heavy narcotics in a store that can be easily robbed, which by the way makes a fortune as the best drug-dealer in town, and you'd think they could afford security, but why not mail these narcotics to the patient in a package that would not display any info indicating what it is, and it would have to be signed for by the patient to receive. And would it lower med cost by cutting out the middle man? Could be on to something here.

Thursday, Nov 20 at 4:54 PM JR wrote ...

I would never allow a person in my store who was wearing a hooded sweat shirt. No Shoes, No Shirt, A Hoodie NO Service. That seems to be one thing that is common with most of these robberies.

Thursday, Nov 20 at 4:52 PM Anonymous wrote ...

I'm confused. 304 N. Ironwood is several miles from Lincoln Way West.

Thursday, Nov 20 at 4:51 PM cindy wrote ...

Maybe,his dumb self will overdose.

Thursday, Nov 20 at 4:28 PM aa wrote ...

Why can't pharmacies have bottles of placebos for times like this? I just doesn't seem fair that someone can rob a pharmacy and make money and get high off of what they sold. Narcotics could be kept in a locked cabinet and placebos out where the criminals can see them, then Surprise! It's only sugar pills...or something to give them wretched gas.

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