Albion & Coldwater Pharmacies Robbed Within Hours On The Same Day

Suspect images for Family Fare Pharmacy robbery- Courtesy of the Albion Department of Public Safety

UPDATED 8/27/18

The Albion Department of Public Safety is searching for two suspects who robbed a pharmacy in the middle of the day. Around 2:45 p.m. Saturday afternoon, two subjects allegedly jumped over the counter at the Family Fare Pharmacy, and stole four bottles of Promethazine / Codeine. The subjects fled the location prior to Albion Department of Public Safety officers arrival. Surveillance footage shows the suspects leaving the location southbound on foot.

Just over an hour earlier, the CVS Pharmacy in Coldwater was robbed. Coldwater Police say that two men entered the pharmacy around 1:20 p.m. and jumped the counter after an employee left the area. They grabbed a targeted medication and then fled the scene. Witnesses reported that the men ran through a wooded area before leaving in a waiting silver SUV or mini-van on South Clay Street. The suspects are described as two black men, 5-foot-ten and six-foot-one, with thin builds, wearing all black.

Authorities believe that both robberies are related to other similar incidents in five states. A $1,000 reward is being offered for information on the whereabouts of Deaire Deshawn Brown, from the Detroit area, who is believed to be the organizer of these robberies. All together the group is responsible for 78 thefts in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin according to police.

The group is alleged to have robbed pharmacies in retailers such as CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Walmart, Sams Club, Kroger and Meijer.

In both the Albion and Coldwater cases, the suspects entered the store then spoke to employees about medications. The two remained near the pharmacy counter until the employees were out of the area then jumped over, got the targeted medication and ran from the store getting into a vehicle believed to waiting near by.