Police say man got narcotics in Gurnee armed robbery

Gurnee police are seeking a man they say demanded a prescription narcotic in an armed robbery about noon Wednesday.

Police Cmdr. Jay Patrick said the incident occurred at the Walgreens store at 4830 W. Grand Ave. Authorities were summoned at 12:06 p.m., but the suspect fled on foot and was gone before officers arrived.

"I don't think anyone knew what was going on," Patrick said. "There were several customers in line behind this guy."

Witnesses told police the suspect walked up to the store's pharmacy area and passed a note to a 27-year-old counter employee. Patrick said the noted demanded the worker give the suspect the prescription narcotic that authorities are declining to reveal at this time.

In the middle of the note-passing, said Patrick, the man lifted his shirt and exposed what appeared to be a handgun grip. The woman passed the note to a 25-year-old pharmacist, who gave the drug to the suspect.

Authorities said the suspect was described as a white man, 6 feet tall and about 26 years old. He was wearing black-and-white cap with long tassels on each side, gray gloves and a white hooded sweatshirt with a wolf or husky logo on it.

Patrick said the suspect fled southwest from the Walgreens parking lot toward Route 21 and Grand Avenue. Cops searched the immediate area but couldn't find the suspect.

Gurnee police dog Shane was unavailable because he was out of the village in training, said Patrick.

Shane, a German shepherd, nabbed a bronze medal in a suburban K-9 Olympics in August and covered more than a mile to link a wallet and other items to a burglary suspect in September.

Anyone with information on the Walgreens armed robbery is asked to call Gurnee police at (847) 599-7000 or Lake County Crime Stoppers at (847) 662-2222.