KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – A county investigator who works drug store robberies in East Tennessee said the brazen stickups are on the rise and the desperation of some addicts is scary.
Many of the robberies happen during daylight or early evening, and the robbers, who rarely wear masks, typically pay little attention to cash registers as they go for the prescription cabinet.
Knox County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Bobby Hubbs said “to compare the cost of what these pills are really worth to what people will do to get them is amazing. They’re going to the penitentiary for a handful of pills.”
Police say violent crimes overall have dropped, from homicides to robberies of banks, stores and homes. Records show pharmacy robberies and attempted robberies in the county increased from 26 in 2009 to 44 in 2010.
Investigators worked 10 of those cases in December, including three in one day. The first three weeks of 2011 have seen five cases – three at the same store.