Breaking news — Downtown DeLand pharmacy robbed

By Pat Hatfield
BEACON STAFF WRITER

posted Apr 11, 2008 - 12:00:00am

Updated at 3:30 p.m.

Law-enforcement officers continued their search for the man who robbed Ritter's Towne Pharmacy in Downtown DeLand this afternoon, according to Sgt. John Anderson of the DeLand Police Department.

He said Oxycontin, a drug prescribed for severe pain, is worth at least $10 per pill on the street, depending on the strength of the pill, so the 100-count bottle robbed from the pharmacy would be worth $1,000 or more.

Robberies and break-ins at pharmacies have become more prevalent in recent years, as abuse and illegal use of the addictive drug increased. Addicts often steal it, half for their own use, and half to sell, Anderson said.

Updated at 1:37 p.m.

Helicopters circled Downtown DeLand this afternoon, as Sheriff's deputies and DeLand Police officers searched for a man who robbed Ritter's Towne Pharmacy at 120 E. New York Ave. about 12:45 p.m.

A man who fled the store carrying a black bag was described by witnesses as a white male in his early-to-mid-20s with black hair. He had acne on his face and was around 5-foot-6. Employees said he walked into the pharmacy and looked at several items on the shelf.

He then approached the counter and handed one of the employees a note. It read, "Give me Oxycontin 80 mg — I have a gun."

"He told us in 30 seconds, he would start shooting," one of the employees said. Another said, "I started getting nervous when he started counting down."

A pharmacist gave the robber a 100-count bottle of Oxycontin, which he stuffed into a black bag. The man then took off running across New York Avenue in a northeasterly direction, pursued by one of the employees, who couldn't catch him.

Another employee ran into Orange Belt Pharmacy, next door, to call the police, who responded within minutes. Along with statements, they collected items in the store the suspect touched to process for fingerprints.

Employees believed the store's video-surveillance camera caught good images of the robber, and the store's owner had arrived to pull the tapes for police as this report was being published.

Posted at 1:25 p.m.

The Volusia County Sheriff's Office and DeLand Police are searching for a suspect following a robbery at Ritter's Towne Pharmacy in Downtown DeLand.

The sheriff's Air One helicopter was circling the Downtown area shortly after 1 p.m.

A witness who saw the robber run from the store said no one inside Ritter's was hurt, although employees were shaken.

More details will be added to the story soon. Beacon reporter Pat Hatfield was in the neighborhood when the robbery occurred, and is writing her account.

— pat@beacononlinenews.com

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