Police: Suspects Used Stolen Doc's Pad To Fill Oxycodone Prescriptions In N.J., N.Y.
GLEN ROCK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- An Oxycodone ring that operated in parts of New Jersey and New York City has been busted up, police announced Wednesday.
Authorities in Glen Rock, N.J., said a group of suspects stole a blank prescription pad from a doctor then hand wrote at least a dozen prescriptions for Oxycodone. Authorities, however, said they don't believe the doctor was involved.
"They're basically using different names and they're using what we believe to be stolen New York driver's licenses or fake driver's licenses for these names that they're coming up with," Glen Rock Det. James Calaski told 1010 WINS.
An incident on April 25 tipped off authorities to the ring after a woman successfully filled out a prescription at a Glen Rock pharmacy for Oxycodone and another man showed up an hour later trying to fill the same prescription from the same doctor.
The pharmacy reported the incident to police, who connected the man and woman to similar incidents at two other Glen Rock pharmacies.
Authorities were also able to conclude the same individuals had hit pharmacies in Fair Lawn, Hawthorne, Freehold and Spring Valley, N.Y., and Brooklyn.
Surveillance images of the suspects allowed police to inform local pharmacies of the string of incidents.
As a result, on Tuesday night, one of the suspects tried to fill a prescription at a Glen Rock pharmacy and a pharmacist contacted police while the suspect was still in the store.
Authorities arrived on the scene as the suspect, 21-year-old Armend Salijaj, tried to flee, but he was caught after a short foot chase. Salijaj was linked to previous incidents in Glen Rock as well as some New York incidents, Det. Calaski said.
Police are still trying to identify a female and two other possible males involved in the ring. They have released surveillance images in hopes of trying to apprehend them.
Anyone who can identify the suspects are asked to contact Det. James Calaski at 201-670-3948.
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