Similarities seen in burglaries at Medicine Shoppe, Hayti pharmacy

Two men suspected of burglarizing the Medicine Shoppe, 864 N. Kingshighway, on April 7 are now thought to be responsible for a drug store burglary early Friday in Hayti, Mo., police say.

Hayti police chief Paul Sheckell said Monday the Prescription Drug Store, across the street from the Hayti police station, was burglarized at 1:07 a.m. Friday in the same manner the Medicine Shoppe had been.

In both instances the front door was broken through and thieves bypassed other items to break into the pharmacy's narcotics drawer and take the drugs, Sheckell said.

Sheckell thinks the suspect or suspects could live in Tennessee or Arkansas after finding a cash drawer liner belonging to the Hayti pharmacy along the southbound lanes of Interstate 55.

He forwarded a copy of the Medicine Shoppe's surveillance video to KFVS12 to send to its affiliates in those states to air on the nightly news. The tape showed two men taking drugs out of the pharmacy drawer.

Sheckell said the Hayti pharmacy had no video system.

Another surveillance camera at the Medicine Shoppe recorded the men driving away in a 2000 to 2004 model light- to medium-colored Chevrolet Malibu.

Cape Girardeau police Sgt. Barry Hovis said there are no leads in the Medicine Shoppe burglary and said he doesn't know if the two burglaries are related.

"We don't know if that is the case," he said. "We sent out the tape to a nine-state information technology center that is available to other agencies. But we haven't seen that case in Hayti."

Anyone with information is asked to call the Hayti Police Department at (573) 359-1259, the Pemiscot County Sheriff's Department at (573) 333-4101 or the Cape Girardeau Police Department at 335-6621. Calls will remain confidential, Sheckell said.

carel@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127