Authorities in the Fox Valley say they’re becoming increasingly concerned that armed robbers are targeting prescription drugs instead of money as the value of the medications increases.
The robbery of a Neenah pharmacy Tuesday was the latest in a string that includes the targeting of two homes in Grand Chute in recent months. Winnebago County Dist. Atty. Christian Gossett said he expects to charge two 25-year-old men today in connection to the drug robbery at Walgreens, 1191 Westowne Drive
Drug seizures show the demand for prescription drugs has grown. Fox Cities drug agents seized 2,060 doses of pharmaceutical drugs in 2007, an increase of more than 1,800 percent from the 108 doses seized in 2003.
“It’s the number one threat we have where the abuse situation is concerned,” said Brad Dunlap, commander of the Lake Winnebago Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group Drug Unit.
Though FBI uniform crime statistics don’t have a separate category for pharmacy robberies, the Fox Valley has seen an uptick in robberies, and prescription drugs seem to be the target of more of them.
Winnebago County experienced 41 armed robberies in 2007 — a record — and at least seven of them hit pharmacies. That same year, Kimberly Pharmacy and the Walgreens on Appleton’s S. Oneida Street also were robbed.
Neenah Police Lt. Jeff Malcore said he hadn’t heard anything Wednesday that would suggest the Neenah and Grand Chute cases are related. He declined to name the suspects or the drug stolen.
Grand Chute Lt. Jerome Martin couldn’t be reached for comment.
Dunlap said it’s more difficult to connect prescription drugs to distribution trails. If police find a person with marijuana, it’s obvious he is in possession of an illegal drug. If a person is found with prescription drugs, it’s much harder to know whether the medications are part of an illegal distribution scheme.
“They’re legal drugs that can be used for legitimate means,” he said. “There’s really no triangle or ladder to a crime source when it comes to these substances.”
Jim Collar writes for the Appleton Post-Crescent and can be reached at 920-993-1000, ext. 216, or