Pharmacy bandit steals painkiller

A Costa Mesa pharmacy was robbed of its entire stock of the painkiller OxyContin in the second hold-up at that store in three months, police said Wednesday.

At about 11 p.m. Tuesday, the robber approached the counter at the Rite-Aid at 3029 Harbor Blvd. and told the pharmacist that he had a gun, police said, adding that the pharmacist didn't see a weapon.

The robber threatened to kill the clerk unless he was given all the store's OxyContin, police said.

Once he obtained the drug, the robber left through an emergency exit at the north end of the store, police said. No one saw where the bandit went, but it is believed he left in a black SUV, possibly a Chevrolet Suburban, Sgt. Marty Carver said.

The robber was wearing a dark coat and a white baseball cap with a star and some sort of writing on the front, Carver said.

Witnesses also reported seeing a black SUV parked near the emergency exit near the back of the store, Carver said.

"This is the first time we had a witness say they saw him get out of the passenger side of a vehicle," Carver said.

Police have surveillance video of the robber getting out of the passenger side of the SUV before entering the store, Carver said, adding that it is assumed he left in the same vehicle. They do not, however, have any description of the person driving the vehicle, Carver said.

Tuesday's robbery was the first in which any footage of the robber has been acquired, Carver said. This was the fourth robbery of its kind in Costa Mesa since Feb. 2, and investigators suspect they were all committed by the same man.

The Harbor Boulevard Rite-Aid was the first struck. Other venues include a Rite-Aid on East 17th Street and another at 2300 Harbor Blvd.

Detectives are also working with law enforcement agencies in Huntington Beach, Anaheim and Lake Forest to compare notes on other OxyContin robberies, Carver said.

OxyContin robberies have increased over the past few years, according to police.