Local, federal officials probe possible connections in area pharmacy robberies

PARK LAYNE, Clark County — Deputies in Clark County are working with other local jurisdictions and federal authorities after a man robbed a Rite Aid in Park Layne Tuesday, the latest in a string of pharmacy robberies in the area.

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Deputies were dispatched to the business at 564 McAdams Drive around 9 a.m. after the robbery was reported.

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Miami Valley law enforcement officers have investigated robberies at pharmacies in Xenia, Dayton, Harrison Twp., Franklin, and Brookville, among other communities, since June.

In Tuesday’s robbery, a man entered the store and presented a note claiming he had a gun and demanded drugs, according to deputies and initial reports.

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The man was able to get away with an undetermined amount of pills and other items from behind the counter before fleeing in a vehicle, investigators said.

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Deputies described the suspect as a man around 5-feet 10-inches tall, wearing a red hooded sweatshirt, gray hat, and khaki pants.

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Tuesday’s robbery was the latest in a string of pharmacy robberies, many of which have targeted Rite Aid locations.

“Right now we’re working with federal authorities and some of the other jurisdictions in the area to see what kind of assistance we can give one another,” Clark County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Kristopher Schultz said.

“Certain aspects are consistent across the board, regardless of time or place where they occur,” Schultz said. “Which is why we’re getting with other jurisdictions and federal authorities to see what information we can correlate with each other.”

Anyone with information that could help investigators is asked to contact the Clark County Sheriff’s Office at 937-328-2561 or Miami Valley Crime Stoppers.