Customers on edge after pharmacy heist

Eight days ago, on Father's Day, four people were shot to death in a Medford pharmacy robbery. As Suffolk police investigate the Sunday robbery of another Long Island pharmacy, customers said they're now frightened by what was once a routine chore.

Standing outside the CVS on Horseblock Road in Farmingville Monday morning, Jennifer Faria of Medford said she had no idea the pharmacy had been robbed about 12 hours earlier.

"Oh, my God. I come here every week," she said after learning an unidentified man entered the store at 935 Horseblock Rd. and handed a note to an employee demanding prescription drugs and cash. Police said the employee complied, and the man left on foot.

Faria said she used to enjoy her hour inside the pharmacy, reading magazines and shopping for sales on household products as her prescriptions were being filled.

After the Medford shootings -- and Sunday's CVS robbery -- she's reconsidering her routine.

"I prefer drive through," Faria said.

Another customer who requested anonymity echoed Farina's sentiments.

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CVS spokesman Mike DeAngelis said pharmacy robberies are an issue all drugstores have been challenged by for many years.

"We have security policies and procedures in place at all of our stores, and we regularly review them to ensure effectiveness," he said. "However, we do not comment on specific security measures because we do not want to undermine them."

DeAngelis said the company is providing counseling services to employees and is cooperating with police in the investigation.

Det. Sgt. James Madden of the Sixth Squad said detectives are canvassing all local pharmacies, including the ones at Stop & Shop, to see if anyone has witnessed suspicious activity.

Madden also said police have asked for video surveillance. Investigators on the case already have obtained video from CVS and are going through it frame by frame, he said.

He said the suspect made off with pain medications and cash. He was not able to provide specifics on the painkillers taken.

Police said the Farmingville thief Sunday had inquired about the availability of the drugs, then left. When he returned, he then robbed the pharmacy -- located about 3 1/2 miles from the Medford pharmacy where four people were killed a week earlier.

Police said the CVS suspect is thin, about 5 feet, 8 inches tall and in his early 20s. He was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, a white-and-red baseball hat and dark-colored pants, police said. On Monday afternoon police released a photo of the suspect.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to an arrest. Anyone with information can call the Sixth Squad at 631-852-8652, or Crime Stoppers at 800-220-84777. All calls will remain confidential.

Farina called the idea of being in the middle of a pharmacy robbery serious and scary.

"Two people walked in on the one in Medford and they just got shot," she said. "They had no idea what was going on."

With Gary Dymski