Naperville, St. Charles pharmacies hit by dial-a-drug robber

Walgreens pharmacy workers in Naperville and St. Charles were robbed by telephone this week in two “strange” but apparently related cases, police said Friday.

In both instances, victims received calls indicating they were being watched and would be harmed if they didn’t turn over drugs. The employees then handed out bags of prescription pills through drive-up windows.

“It’s pretty strange,” Naperville Police Sgt. Lou Cammiso said. “Of course, we tend to be suspicious sometimes, but when St. Charles had one we figured this must be the real deal. We believe it’s the same offender.”

The Walgreens at 63 W. 87th St. in Naperville was hit shortly after midnight Monday. Cammiso said a female pharmacy worker received a call from a man who described what she was doing at the moment, indicating she was being watched. The suspect told her to fill a bag with Oxycodone painkillers and hand it through the drive-up window or “she would be hurt very badly,” Cammiso said.

Soon, a man wearing a hat with fold-down earflaps and a long coat — possibly green in color — appeared at the drive-up window. The victim gave him about 1,200 pills valued at $4,000, and the robber walked off, police said.

Less than 24 hours later, about 9:35 p.m. Monday, a similar scenario unfolded at a Walgreens at 2751 E. Main St. in St. Charles.

Police spokesman Paul McCurtain said a male pharmacy worker received a call from a man who said there was an armed accomplice in the store. The employee then handed a bag of undisclosed drugs out the drive-up window.

No injuries were reported in either robbery, and police in both jurisdictions said they were reviewing surveillance footage for leads.

Cammiso said the Naperville victim told police the suspect “sounded to her like a male white” but she did not get a good look at his hair or face. St. Charles police did not release a description.

To report tips, call Naperville police at (630) 420-6006 or St. Charles police at (630) 377-4435.

Ÿ Daily Herald staff writer Lee Filas contributed to this story.