Suspects elude police chase after string of pharmacy burglaries in Ventura County
SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (KABC) -- Burglars struck two pharmacies early Wednesday morning in Ventura County and tried to break into a third, prompting an investigation into whether the crimes were connected.
An attempted burglary was reported about 3 a.m. at Burt's Pharmacy in the 2300 block of Borchard Road in Thousand Oaks, according to the Ventura County Sheriff's Department.
About thirty minutes later, a burglary was reported at Loving Hands Pharmacy in the 2200 block of Moorpark Road in Thousand Oaks. The suspects in that incident were described as three males wearing dark clothing and hoods.
At 3:46 a.m., a caller reported that the RX Point Pharmacy in the 2700 block of Los Angeles Avenue in Simi Valley had been burglarized, said a spokesman for the Simi Valley Police Department.
Three suspects fled the scene in a red four-door compact vehicle. Authorities gave chase but lost sight of the vehicle on the eastbound 118 Freeway, near the Porter Ranch Drive exit, police said.
No injuries were reported in the three break-ins, and the total value of what was stolen was unclear.
"The register was completely upside down," said Dr. Roshan Patel, owner of the RX Point Pharmacy, "and all the drawers in the pharmacy, they're open. They went through each and every drawer, cabinet. They went through the break room.
"It seemed like they didn't have anything to put the medication in, so they just put everything in the trash can," which was also taken, Patel said.
The Simi Valley police spokesman said it would be "odd for them to be separate cases," based on the proximity of the targeted businesses and the similarity of the crimes. However, a possible connection between the string of burglaries was not immediately confirmed.
