EagleTribune.com, North Andover, MA
Merrimack Valley
Gunman attempts to rob women at North Andover Walgreens
Published: October 8, 2008
NORTH ANDOVER — A man lurked inside Walgreens while a 23-year-old woman picked up prescription medicine, then he attempted to rob her and a friend at gunpoint in the parking lot early last night.
The woman picked up antibiotics and Percocet painkillers for a kidney infection at the pharmacy at the corner of Route 114 and Waverly Road. She left the store and walked to a sport utility vehicle, where her friend was waiting in the parking lot, the woman said in an interview with The Eagle-Tribune outside the store minutes after the attempted robbery.
The man walked up to the driver's side of the SUV and asked for a cigarette. The women said they didn't have any, and the man opened the driver's door and pointed a gun at the driver, the women said.
The woman offered her prescription drugs and told the gunman it was for a kidney infection and said, "You can have it."
The man looked at the label and gave it back, the woman said.
"He walked away all cocky, like nothing happened, like he didn't just whip out a gun on us," said the shaken-up woman with the medicine.
The man walked to a pickup truck in the parking lot and drove off, and the women called 911. The incident happened about 6:25 p.m.
Surveillance cameras captured footage of the man inside the store. Detective Lt. Paul Gallagher described the white male as about 6-feet 1 inch and 220 pounds with scruffy facial hair, wearing a baseball hat, a yellow jacket and low-riding shorts.
"He walked around the store for about 20 minutes, seemed to hang around the prescription counter," Gallagher said.
Police had made no arrests as of last night, but the investigation continued.
Nobody was injured, and the man didn't actually steal anything. Nevertheless, he could face a charge of attempted armed robbery, Gallagher said.
Gallagher described the gun as a silver or gray automatic handgun.
"I think people should be aware and a little cautious that this is happening right here at Walgreens," the driver said.
Two men dressed like ninjas busted into the same Walgreens and in about two minutes escaped with a large quantity of narcotics early in the morning on Aug. 4.
A pharmacist hid while the two men used crow bars to break open the store's drug lockers.
