3 Pharmacy Burglaries In Astoria Part Of NYC Pattern, Police Say

ASTORIA, QUEENS — Since March 15, there have been eight burglaries in New York City that took place in a similar fashion, including four burglaries in northern Queens, three of which occurred at pharmacies in Astoria, the NYPD reported on Wednesday.

In all of these cases, which happened early in the morning, a group of people broke a business’s front door or window — in some instances with a crow bar, rock, or piece of wood — and tried to steal cash, prescription pills, or both, the cops said.

Six of the burglaries happened at pharmacies, including three in Astoria’s 114th Precinct: Health Quest RX Pharmacy, Organic Pharmacy, and Strand Pharmacy.

The other pharmacy burglaries took place in South Brooklyn, at EZ RX Pharmacy in Bay Ridge and Corner Pharmacy in South Williamsburg — the latter was burgled twice, once in March, and then again in April.

In all six instances, after breaking the pharmacy’s front window or door, the burglars tried to steal prescription pills, and succeeded in taking the pills all but once.

The police only know the total amount of stolen pills in three of the burglaries. The burglars stole roughly $10,000 wroth of pills from Strand Pharmacy, $27,000 from Organic Pharmacy, and $30,000 from EZ RX Pharmacy, the NYPD said.

In two instances in Queens the burglars also stole money — Strand Pharmacy in Astoria lost $2,000 in cash, and a group also stole $5,000 from Haideri Pann & Cigarette, a bodega in Jackson Heights.

In the first of these eight burglaries a group of people broke into a Payomatic near South Slope, and tried to remove an ATM, but weren’t successful.

Here's where and when the eight burglaries took place, according to the police.

• March 15: Payomatic at 582 5th Avenue in South Slope, Brooklyn around 2:30 a.m.
• March 15: EZ RX Pharmacy at 8802 4th Avenue in Bayridge, Brooklyn around 4:40 a.m.
• March 23: Health Quest RX Pharmacy at 30-07 31 Avenue in Astoria around 4:50 a.m.
• March 26 and April 12: Corner Pharmacy at 166 Division Avenue in South Williamsburg, Brooklyn around 4:30 a.m and 2:00 a.m., respectively
• March 26: Haideri Pann & Cigarette at 72-08 Broadway in Jackson Heights around 6:50 a.m.
• April 6: Organic Pharmacy at 37-20 31 Avenue in Astoria around 4:30 a.m.
• April 13: Strand Pharmacy at 25-01 Broadway in Astoria around 4:30 a.m.

Police released a photo Wednesday of one of the two people wanted in connection to the most recent burglary, on April 13.

Anyone with information in regard to the identity of the individual in the photo is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).