Crime Stoppers: Police Use DNA Evidence To Identify Burglary Suspect
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Detectives are working to track down a burglary suspect after using DNA evidence to identify the man in connection with a theft more than three years ago at a Harrison Township pharmacy.
It's been three years since the burglary at The Medicine Shoppe pharmacy in the 2600-block of Freeport Road.
"The burglar broke out the drive-thru window of the pharmacy and stole numerous bottles of Oxycontin, which is a pain killer," said Detective Robert Opferman, of Allegheny County Police.
As the investigation into the Dec. 2009 theft continued, nothing much panned out.
But police found several bottles of the stolen prescription drug not far from the pharmacy as they unsuccessfully tried to track down the suspect. The bottles had some blood of them, blood which came from the broken glass in that drive-thru window.
"Those were submitted to the crime lab, and eventually we received a DNA match with a suspect by the name of Mark Morkin," said Detective Opferman.
Morkin, who sometimes wears glasses, works in a profession that required him to travel to this area.
Prior to the burglary, he was reportedly inside the drug store doing some contract work on the store's computers.
Morkin's last known address was in the Carlisle, Pa., area.
Investigators say improved and advanced DNA analysis played a key part in the case, a crime which would have been difficult - if not impossible - to solve just a few years ago.
Anyone with information on Morkin's whereabouts is asked to contact Pittsburgh Crime Stoppers at 412-255-8477.
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