Police See a Rise in Pharmacy Robberies

Metro area law enforcement officials are reporting a spike in robberies at smaller pharmacies, with suspects often threatening employees and forcing customers to the floor at gunpoint to get drugs, the Star Tribune reports.

One such incident occurred in St. Louis Park on March 15, as two masked men carrying guns entered Best Aid Pharmacy, located at 4335 Excelsior Blvd., and .

No one was hurt during the robbery and no shots were fired. St. Louis Park police spokesman Jamie Zwilling said no arrests have been made and that officers are reviewing surveillance video in an effort to better identify the suspects.

A Best Aid employee said this was the second robbery at the pharmacy since December.

The Star Tribune reports that there have been eight pharmacy robberies in the metro since October and three in 2012 alone. Police and pharmacy industry officials speculate that the increase may be due to a group of criminals trying to make money off stolen OxyContin during a down economy, the paper reports. A 100-milligram OxyContin pill can sell for $100.

Read the full Star Tribune article for more on this trend.

Sign up for the St. Louis Park Patch newsletter to keep tabs on any developments in the local robbery case.