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Pharmacy Robbery Linked To Others, Investigators Say

Surveillance Photo

These surveillance photos show the suspect in the Armenia Pharmacy robbery at 9:09 a.m. Thursday.

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By VALERIE KALFRIN | The Tampa Tribune
and JOSH POLTILOVE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 29, 2008

Updated: 08/29/2008 06:42 pm

TAMPA - Pinellas County investigators say a robbery at a Target pharmacy in Oldsmar this afternoon is linked to five others in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties in the past two months.

Authorities are offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to the arrest of the armed suspect responsible for robbing the pharmacies between July 3 and today.

The man, armed with a handgun, demanded OxyContin at a Publix pharmacy at 12139 Linebaugh Ave. in Tampa on July 3, St. George's Pharmacy at 31201 U.S. 19 N. in Palm Harbor on July 15, a Publix pharmacy at 8975 Racetrack Road in Tampa on Aug. 13, a Sweetbay pharmacy at 13016 Racetrack Road on Aug. 18 and Armenia Pharmacy at 8338 N. Armenia Ave. B in Tampa on Thursday.

One of his victims, pharmacy technician Cynthia Fillipone, said the man mumbled something, took a gun from a plastic bag and pointed it at her.

"I panicked," she said. "I started screaming. I started going towards the back, towards the phone."
She hid under a table and called 911.

Pinellas deputies say he entered a store at 900 Eastlake Road about noon today, approached the pharmacy area, implied he had a weapon and showed a note to the pharmacist demanding prescription drugs. He left with an undisclosed amount of drugs.

Investigators say he has short dark hair but was wearing a blond wig in recent robberies. He was last seen wearing a plaid shorts and a light-colored wig.

The suspect carries a black and silver semiautomatic handgun and may be driving a 2007 or 2008 silver Hyundai Sonata.

Anyone with information about the man can call Pinellas County Det. Nicholas Bedy at (727) 582-6200. They also can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS (8477), report anonymously online at www.crimestopperstb.com or submit an anonymous text tip to CRIMES (274637), Keyword: Tip155.

News Channel 8's Peter Bernard contributed to this report. Reporter Valerie Kalfrin can be reached at vkalfrin@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7800. Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at jpoltilove@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7691.

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