Police: Man Jumped Counter At Walgreens To Steal Drugs
HANOVER PARK, Ill. (STMW) -- A man was caught by police leaving a northwest suburban Walgreens after robbing the pharmacy Monday night, police said.
Jeffrey Fritsch, 56, has been charged with aggravated robbery, possession of a controlled substance and resisting arrest in connection with the robbery about 10:25 p.m. Monday in the 7300 block of Barrington Road in Hanover Park, according to a statement from Hanover Park police.
Fritsch jumped the counter of the Walgreens pharmacy and implied he had a gun before forcing the pharmacist to give him 17 bottles of prescription drugs, Deputy Police Chief Tom Cortese said.
He tried to run out of the store, but employees had already called 911 and officers caught him as he left, Cortese said.
"Initially he refused to comply, so they had to take him to the ground," Cortese said.
Officers found the bottles of drugs in the plastic bag Fritsch was carrying, according to the statement. He was not carrying a gun, but did have a knife, which was not used during the robbery.
Bond for Fritsch, who lives in the 900 block of Elizabeth Drive in Streamwood, was set at $10,000 on Tuesday, Cortese said.
"The chief's very proud of them responding to the call and taking this guy down as he was walking out the door," Cortese said.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2014. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)