Police seek this vehicle tied to pharmacy break-ins in 3 counties

This late model white Toyota Venza was captured on surveillance camera outside the Springboro Pharmacy following a break-in early Thursday morning. Springboro police believe this vehicle is part of other pharmacy break-ins Thursday in Springfield and in Beavercreek. CONTRIBUTED/SPRINGBORO POLICE

This late model white Toyota Venza was captured on surveillance camera outside the Springboro Pharmacy following a break-in early Thursday morning. Springboro police believe this vehicle is part of other pharmacy break-ins Thursday in Springfield and in Beavercreek. CONTRIBUTED/SPRINGBORO POLICE

Springboro police said an early Thursday morning pharmacy break-in is related to other similar break-ins in the region.

Police in at least three counties are searching for three male suspects seen wearing hoodies during break-ins at separate pharmacies.

Detective Drew Pyles of the Springboro Police Department said an alarm summoned officers around 5:50 a.m. Thursday to the Springboro Pharmacy on West Central Avenue.

Pyles said officers found the front door had been forced open using a crowbar or other prying tool. He said “a large amount of controlled substances — prescription drugs were stolen from the pharmacy.

He said the kinds and amount of the drugs are unknown as of Friday afternoon and that police have not received a complete inventory of the missing drugs from the pharmacy.

“Based on the photo of the car and the front door that was forced open, we believe this break-in is related to the other reported break-ins,” Pyles said.

A white, late model Toyota Venza SUV was caught on a surveillance camera at the Springboro Pharmacy.

Beavercreek police were dispatched around 5:15 a.m. Thursday to a break-in at the Home Town Pharmacy on Indian Ripple Road, according to police.

A police spokesman could not reached for comment on Friday for additional details

There was an attempted break-in about 4:15 a.m. Thursday at the family-owned Harding Road Pharmacy in Springfield.

Sgt. Dan Harris of the Springfield Police Division said the alarms were triggered but the two locks on the door prevented entry into the pharmacy.

“The video show three suspects attempting to break-in with a pry tool, but there was nothing more for us to follow up on,” Harris said.

Clark County Sheriff’s detectives are handling a break-in case at Carson’s Northridge Pharmacy, just north of Springfield and about six miles from the Harding Road Pharmacy.

Lt. Kris Shultz said multiple alarms went off around 4:20 a.m. Thursday at the family-owned pharmacy. After clearing the building, deputies found cabinets and refrigerator doors opened as well as opened cash register drawers.

Shultz said they are not certain if this robbery was related to the others, “but given the proximity of time, there is a possibility that there is some kind of connection.” Shultz also said investigators from the agencies involved will be sharing information about these break-ins to compare notes.

Two months ago, a break-in was reported at the Waynesville Pharmacy. Waynesville police Chief Gary Copeland said it was one of a dozen break-ins reported around the Cincinnati area. Copeland said his agency has been doing extra patrols and has meetings with other departments with similar break-ins. However, he could not say if that pharmacy break-in is related to the break-ins on Thursday.

Waynesville also had break-ins reported earlier this month at McDonald’s and Subway restaurants, which are across the street from each other.

Copeland said two white males entered the McDonald’s about 2:30 a.m. Feb. 10 and broke into the safe. Later that morning, Subway employees contacted police and said the business had been broken into by the same males after breaking into McDonalds.

Copeland said he was contacted by Lebanon police who advised the Little Caesars Pizza store was broken into on the same night.

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