A thief made away with a bag full of prescription medication in an armed robbery at a Wasilla pharmacy Monday evening, authorities say.
According to an online dispatch from Alaska State Troopers, a male suspect forced his way into the Geneva Woods Pharmacy off the Seward Meridian Parkway through the backdoor while a lone pharmacist was preparing to close shop for the evening.
The suspect, who had a gun, “forced the pharmacist to fill up a large tote with all of the controlled prescription medication,” the dispatch says. AST spokeswoman Megan Peters said she did not have an estimate on how much medication was stolen.
The pharmacist was not harmed during the robbery, troopers said, who were contacted about the incident at around 7:40 p.m.
Matthew Keith, vice president of pharmacy for Geneva Woods, says the incident was traumatic and people are scared.
“When we come to work, we come to do good and help people who have health care needs,” said Keith. “And we shouldn’t have to look over our shoulders because there’s some violent person out there who might steal from us or put us at risk.”
Dealing prescription drugs has become big business, troopers say, with the street value of opioid painkillers going for between $1 to $2 per milligram.
Authorities say many have turned to robbing pharmacies or homes to supply their own habit, and that of their addicted buyers — a finding that leaves Keith concerned.
“In the perfect world, there would be no prescription drug abuse,” he said. “We would all have good intent. We would use our medicines and they are intended to help our health. We wouldn’t steal from each other.”
An investigation is ongoing and AST asks anyone with information to contact the department at 745-2131 or call Crime Stoppers at 745-3333.
–Shannon Ballard contributed reporting to this story.