BANGOR, Maine — The Rite Aid pharmacy on the corner of Union and Fourteenth streets was robbed for the second time in nine days Wednesday night.
Two suspects, one believed to be armed with a handgun, were caught and arrested in the wooded area between Sunset Avenue and the southbound lane of I-95 after robbing the pharmacy about 7:50 p.m. Wednesday, according to police.
Bangor police Sgt. Larry Weber was unable to confirm whether a weapon was used but said initial reports of three robbery suspects appeared to be wrong and that there were in fact two suspects.
Police identified the men as 33-year-old Sheldon Hopkins, a Bangor transient, and 18-year-old Darien Young of Bangor.
Both men have been charged with Class B robbery and are being held at Penobscot County Jail.
Bangor police Detective Erik Tall was off duty Wednesday evening and was at the Rite Aid at the time of the robbery. He reported the crime and chased the suspects as they fled the scene on foot, Lt. Tom Reagan said late Wednesday.
Bangor Police Officers and Maine State Police Troopers, as well as agents from the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, who also happened to be nearby, formed a perimeter in the area.
“A Rite Aid plastic bag of prescription pills that had been taken in the robbery were recovered near where both men were taken into custody,” Reagan said.
No one was hurt as result of the robbery, according to police.
The robbery comes nine days after the same pharmacy, located at 556 Union St., was robbed by what was described as a “very grubby” older man who passed a note to the pharmacist through the drive-thru window on Monday afternoon, May 21, saying he had a bomb. The man, who has not yet been apprehended, was given an undisclosed amount of prescription drugs.
An unnamed man, who identified himself only as a Rite Aid loss prevention officer, shrugged his shoulders and rolled his eyes when asked if he had ever dealt with a similar situation, in which the same pharmacy has been robbed twice in such a short period of time.
“Not like this,” he said before entering the building, which was locked up after Wednesday night’s robbery.
Store lights remained on as if normal business was being conducted but the doors to the pharmacy were locked after the robbery report. No sign was placed at the entrance notifying customers of the pharmacy’s closure. The outside lights and parking lot lights were turned off around 8:45 p.m. as at least five employees could be seen near the front counter talking to each other or on the phone.
The robbery came about half an hour after a theft — which originally was thought to be another robbery — occurred at Hollywood Casino on Main Street.
“A guy was on the elevator and counting his money, and there was another guy in there at the same time, and apparently just as the door opened, he snatched it as he ran out,” said Weber.
BDN writer Nick McCrea contributed to this report.
What is wrong with people??? This is getting ridiculous!
I was just going to say the same thing! Great minds think alike….
If pharmacies and banks really wanted to prevent robberies they obviously have the proper technology at their disposal to ensure the safety of their employees and product. Sufficient reinforcement would virtually eliminate such lackluster robbery attempts. No person having a job like that should have to come in contact with customers.
You would think with all the robberies that the pharmacies would start installing bullet proof glass and such. I used to live in Baltimore and D.C. and I don’t recall as many robberies of any sort in such a short time let alone pharmacy specific. Hopefully something can be done to help this growing issue.
I agree. Risking one’s life shouldn’t be an accepted hazard that comes with being a pharmacist.
I agree as well….that’s why I got out of retail when someone stole right out of my hands! Not worth it!
I thought that at first as well but someone told me that all the robber does is grab another unsuspecting customer walking in or already in the store and threaten to hurt them if the they don’t give them the drugs. The drugs are then sent threw the slot in the glass to try and keep them from hurting anyone. Seems as though every time a way is invented to stop criminals they just work to find a way around it.
All the bullet proof glass in the world doesn’t help if the would be robber grabs an innocent bystander (maybe a child) and puts a gun to his/her head! hand over the drugs/money it just isn’t worth anyone’s life..maybe they will OD and then the problem will be solved!
What about the rest of the people working at a Rite Aid? The bad guys will stick the gun in their faces to get what they want from the Pharmacist.
What obvious technology are you takling about?
On our way down south last year we saw convenience store clerks behind bullet proof glass with just a slot for money, Maybe something like that for pharmacies but with a secure drop bin as well for scripts to be passed through? That and of course security measures that actually work! The more people get away with things the more other people start to think it’s a good idea.
What keeps the bad guys from taking hostages in the front of the store?
My thoughts exactly! If some convenience store in Hartford or Baltimore can have bullet proof glass why not the people in charge of products worth way more money?
Sheldon has been in and out of trouble for as long as i can remember. This store has some wonderful people working there including the manager and my heart really goes out to them. I am so surprised that to this point nobody has been hurt. I honestly believe this story should be shut down and consolidated with the one further on down the road. Why are there two Rite Aids less than a mile apart anyway. With the school zone, there are more police presence further down the road and its not located nearly next door to the Shaw House and acrossed the way from the Convenience store on Ohio and Union that attracts a lot of these types of people. I am not sure how many times they have been robbed this year but i know when i worked for Movie Gallery next door it was a regular occurance.
The store that you are suggesting be the one for consolidation (Union and 14th) is the one that has been robbed twice recently.
My mistake Jdub, i was sure they said in a previous article that the one robbed was the one on the corner of 4th street and Union. I stand by my conviction that the one acrossed from Dave’s Video and the other should be cosolidated. Maybe at the very least if one of them were closed they could use the money saved to increase the survelience and cameras for the store. I also believe that bullet-proof glass should be on the pharmacy in every drug store around, as well as the big box stores that sell prescriptions.
It takes a good person to admit mistake. That being said, the consolidation idea isn’t a bad one. In addition to the items you suggested, armed security guards would greatly deter thefts, in my mind.
Hi ya Jeff:
How are things going, Rite Aid is slated to still close, eventually. There is no date set, but union and third has said it several times and know its gonna happen. But you are right we do not need two rite aids that close to each other, union and 14th are not that busy
What are the odds of an off-duty Detective being in the pharmacy when it was robbed??? Sheldon Hopkins and Darien Young are probably the most unlucky people in the world…and incredibly stupid. I just hope they face a judge who will not go easy on them.
As for the Rite Aid employees, I can’t even imagine what these folks are going though. Here they are trying make an honest living and they have to endure these creeps. I am relieved that none of the employees were injured.
According to TV5 the off duty cop was actually outside in the parking lot. Plus it doesn’t surprise me that end of town has cops watching it (even off duty). It’s near that Ghettobetters area where a lot of crime happens.
The odds are just as good as being at
Domino’s Pizza when another crime occurs
http://bangor-launch.newspackstaging.com/2010/02/01/news/bangor/man-arrested-after-pizza-parlor-fracas/
I wonder if handing over fake drugs or maybe like at a bank, some sort of dye pack or GPS could be placed inside the bottle. Stupid I know, criminals would find out quickly that either of those are done and find away around that as well, it just seems that there must be a better way.
How about making industrial strength ex-lax pills that look like oxys or whatever. Hand those over instead. That’ll teach ’em.
UNTIL THEY COME BACK AND SHOOT SOMEONE.
I’ve heard stories about that very same thing happening. Instead of giving the robber the real deal for drugs, they would hand over fake drugs so the suspect would think he got away with it.
Druggies know exactly what the real stuff looks like. If you were the pharmacist with a spouse and kids at home, would you want to play games with a guy pointing a gun at you?
Actually, many people have been making fake pills in their homes and selling them for normal price as they would the real ones. MANY people really have no idea because there are so many different variations of one type of drug. It’s crazy!
I get a little defensive on the topic as my daughter is a retail pharmacist. Anything other than passing them what they want is risky to everyone working there. There are a lot of brave people making comments here. I’ve had a gun stuck in my ribs-I wasn’t all that brave-I did what I was told.
Nope, having a gun pointed at you isn’t much fun. I agree with you there. Everyone’s fears vary, I have little fear as I’ve been pretty much dead a few times. If it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen. I’m not scared of dying by no means, just scared of suffering. I’d probably feel differently IF i had children and their lives were put in danger often like this, i suppose!
They can make fake pills that look exactly like the real thing.
MisterX351 Oh, you mean like Fibromyalgia medication? : ) WARNING: May cause actual symptoms.
If your loved one was the person behind the Pharmacy bench you’d probably think the way I do. Give them what they want. If this continues drugs will be sold from central loactions-not on every corner as they are now.
I saw this tv report that in Japan or maybe China some of their pharmacies, stores, and banks have a button they press behind the counter. A bullet proof shield slams shut within seconds separating the clerk from the robber. It also traps the robber in the waiting area. This might create a hostage situation but the doors are locked and nobody can get out. Its a deterrent because future robbers know they are going to get trapped. They also have the option of filling the area with knock out gas. However in sue happy countries like the USA I’m sure the robbers will get a huge cash settlement, a book deal, and a spot on the Steve Wilkos show for being victims of the pharmacy that trapped them. ha ha ha
When the (well known!) policy of a chain of drug stores is to “give them whatever they want” and “do not resist” that constitutes an “open invitation to those who would like to refill their “scrips” without bothering to pay for them.
Rite Aid is risking the safety of both their customers and employees by creating this “invitation to rob”. When they have armed security, and these heathens realize they could get hurt or killed, this will stop.With the present policy it is only a matter of time until someone flying on meth or bath salts, takes a gun or knife into a Rite Aid and creates some mayhem on totally defenseless people.
No one has ever stopped robberies by enacting such a “passive policy” as this chain has.
When is the last time you saw druggies holding up a gun store?
Which is exactly why I carry…
Amen, brother! Your choice to be a victim or not.
I hate to differ with you but i know quite a few employees of Rite aid, and that is not there policy. I was told that they do not fight with the robber, that the store manager is the one that makes the decision to give it to them.
My daughter is a chain pharmacist. The policy is the same at every chain. Give them what they want. The store manager has no say in the matter. Priority number one is that no employee or customer is hurt.
She must not work in Bangor then, because i was in a rite aid years ago when it was robbed and they called for a manager as the robber was getting ready to do something. Rite aid is not like they used to be, time for them to close the doors
Regardless of any policy set by any store nobody really knows how they will react when a gun is in your face. No chain is going to fire someone for giving these people what they want. The negative publicity would not be worth it.
The people who insure these Pharmacy chains do not want shoot outs inside or outside these stores. The smallest losses are the drugs handed to the theives. The real answer is to change the way drugs are sold-that will happen-probably sooner than later.
Bangor is quickly becoming a very unsafe place to be. A sign of the times we live in I am sorry to say. You reap what you sow.
I have said that over and over on here but people keep commenting on how Portland or Boston is safer. I lived in both places for three years, owned a store in Boston robbed five times, closed after fifth time. Moved to Portland with daughter and wife and opened two stores, one got robbed, time to move on i said.
It might be about time to close this store down…. At least that should deter the thugs for a bit until they figure out where to head next. There has got to be something else we can do, this is getting ridiculous!
This store has been on the chopping block for years, it will close soon. To tell you the truth, you will probabl see all Rite aids close eventually, they are not busy anymore
For what it is worth – they lost my business years ago because most of them do not have a restroom available for the customers to use. As silly as it sounds, when you are out and about with a little one, it is important information to have!
Every Rite Aid I’ve been in, I’ve seen a bathroom. Maybe some I didn’t, but i wasn’t exactly looking. Most do, though.
True, most rite aids took the public bathroom out due to theft
We will coddle and nurture these guys, back on the streets in a jiffy…..
Sad……
What a terrible misfortune for these Rhodes Scholars. Of all the pharmacies in the area these two choose to rob the one with the Police Detective inside. As they say in Jolly Ol England. BRILLIANT
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Theese Drug attics need to be taken off the streets one way or the other either by the jails/courts and high sentences. Or by vigilanty justice , they are courupting our society they must be stopped at all costs. They are no good never will amount to anything and will always cost the system money. I repeat to all the good people left they need to go ………. T.B.C……….
In florida where pharmacie robberies are an every day ocurance most drug stores employ armed sucurity guards and for some reason they the ones with guards are not the target of thieves.
pfff
Saw the one on top sitting on the highway with his hands behind his back yesterday evening. Another good job done by the Bangor Poilice Department.
At least the newspaper article gave better details. On Chanel 5 they said the off duty officer in the parking lot called dispatch when two men simply looked suspicious entered the RiteAid before any crime was committed. Then the TV news report failed to give any details to the actual events of the robbery. No mention of if the store clerk got robbed or if the pharmacy was robbed. Except a mention of some pill bottle found “near” where the two men got arrested. ha ha The TV news report sort of made it sound like they were arrested for looking suspicious. LOL Anyway I’m glad the BDN gave better details.
I miss the good old days when we had a few town drunks and that was about it.
They got drunk , laid in the gutter signing and got lugged off to the pokey for a day or two.
Now, its all kinds of crazy mayhem from the druggie junkie thief scum crawling the streets.
Something drastic needs to be done.
So far , the anti drug/rehab/war on drugs thing just aint workin’.
Ok, call me old fashioned.
As long as no one is biting someones face off we may still be ahead of the game !
The real character of the common Mainer is now reaching the forefront.
Never has this place been full of the hardest working, proudest Americans. This place has always been exactly as we are seeing creep forth from the haggard, darkened depths of what we call “Maine,” as shown in many of S. King’s books occuring in this sate. There is something wrong here, something wrong deep within, either within the psyche, the genetic code, the culture, the land itself, or a combination thereof, there is something wrong here.
I was listening on the scanner during this whole incident . CUDO’S to the Bangor Police Department on there QUICK response and apprehention of these two . They we’re communicating well and when there was a “GUN” involved all hands were on deck. I almost think the “HOLLYWOOD SLOTS ” dude got a free pass since the other incident was so serious .(not that gettin ya money grabbed in an elevator isnt scary) . I also am a recovered addict . took no methadone and i live in an eye shot of “GHETTOBETTERS” [ as u call it] . Please allow us all to stand against this violence and support those trying to recover from addiction . I do believe better regulations and a formula to get people sober and off “Replacement” therapy over a SHORTER time is parimount but we all all different and sometimes it takes longer . Yes some people go to the clinic to get high . As there also Cancer patients who abuse and sell there meds. Do we damn them for being sick? Or Label all CANCER PATIENTS Junkys and Drug Dealers? No we don’t . These people are sick and it might as well be terminal . Pray for them .