Authorities investigate pharmacy robberies across Sonoma County

Law enforcement agencies in Sonoma County were comparing notes Monday to determine if a series of robberies at pharmacies over the weekend were related.

Reported in quick succession Sunday afternoon, a man or men demanded prescription narcotics during the robberies, and in at least two of the cases claimed to have a gun, officials said.

The first robbery was reported at about 3 p.m. Sunday at the pharmacy inside the Wal-Mart in Rohnert Park on Redwood Drive, said Sgt. Jeff Justice with the Rohnert Park Public Safety Department.

A man handed the pharmacy clerk a note demanding a specific type of drug and stating that he had a gun, although no weapon was seen, Justice said. He reportedly left with the drugs.

The second robbery was reported at 3:25 p.m. in Windsor, about ?15 miles north on Highway 101, Windsor Police Chief Chris Spallino ?said.

Two males, in their late teens or early 20s, walked up to the pharmacy counter at the Wal-Mart pharmacy on Hembree Lane and demanded prescription drugs, Spallino said. The chief declined to say if the suspected robbers left empty-handed.

A third robbery was reported just before 4 p.m. about 12 miles away at the Walgreens on Highway 12 at Mission Boulevard in Santa Rosa. The initial report indicated two males demanded prescription drugs at a pharmacy counter, threatening that they had a gun, police officials said.

You can reach Staff Writer Julie Johnson at 521-5220 or julie.johnson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @jjpressdem.