Taconic Pharmacy in Jefferson Valley, had a break in on March 3
By Dan Murphy
The movie “Drugstore Cowboy” with Matt Dillon and Kelly Lynch, portrayed a drug addicted couple who would break into small pharmacies and steal their narcotic prescription drugs. A modern-day group of drugstore cowboys are on the loose and have broken into three Westchester pharmacies and several more in Putnam County and the Hudson Valley in recent weeks.
In the Jefferson Valley part of Yorktown, two small pharmacies were broken into and robbed of their pain pills. Jefferson Valley Pharmacy was broken into two weeks ago, and this week Taconic Pharmacy had their front door shattered and their meds gone. The two pharmacies are located less than ¼ mile apart.
The thieves were wearing masks, making it difficult to ID surveillance cameras in both Yorktown Pharmacies and in their shopping centers. Yorktown Police also have a large police presence in the Jefferson Valley neighborhood.
Putnam County Sheriff Kevin J. McConville reported an investigation into a burglary of a pharmacy in the Town of Southeast. “On February 12, 2024, at approximately 3:45 am, Deputies were dispatched to the JNR Pharmacy for a commercial burglar alarm activation. Upon arrival it was determined that the front glass door was smashed, and that unknown suspect(s) had entered the building but fled before the deputy’s arrival. The owner was contacted and is in the process of determining the amount and type of loss. Sheriff’s Deputies and Investigators are looking into this case and working with other law enforcement agencies to determine whether it is related to other pharmacy burglaries that have occurred recently in the area.”
Another incident in Bedford occurred one hour after the Southeast break in. “On February 12, 2024, at approximately 4:18am, officers were dispatched to the Bedford Pharmacy located in Bedford Village for a commercial burglar alarm activation. Officers quickly arrived and observed that the front glass door was smashed and that unknown suspect(s) had entered the building, stealing multiple types of medicine but fled prior to patrol officers arrival. The Bedford Police Department’s Detective Bureau is investigating this case and working with other law enforcement agencies to determine whether it is related to other pharmacy burglaries that have occurred recently in the area.”
Further north the Beekman Pharmacy was robbed in the same way, and the same drugs stolen.
The thieves have drawn the attention of the Drug Enforcement Agency in New York who reports that pharmacy thefts tripled since 2021. While typically, the drug store break ins are by drug addicts, the DEA said that this recent rash of break ins, and the similar way in which they have been conducted, could indicate a gang, or organized crime groups involvement.
DEA officials said the people who break in typically used to be individual drug users, but they are now seeing a transition to organized crime carried out by groups.
The Putnam County Sheriff is treating the incidents as if they are connected. Westchester law enforcement has been quiet about these incidents and are searching for suspects.
One of the pharmacies burglarized was installing a safe to place their narcotic prescriptions in for overnight safety.
