On July 26 at 2:06 p.m., two armed men wearing masks and hoodies entered MAC Pharmacy at 10414 St. Clair Ave. and stole all of their promethazine with codeine and narcotics.
The locally-owned pharmacy serves the Glenville neighborhood after a nearby Rite Aid abruptly closed its doors in February. At the time, The Land learned that the primary reason the Rite Aid was closing was due to significant theft of non-pharmaceutical items. The former Rite Aid, located on the southeast corner of E. 105th St. and St. Clair Ave., remains empty.
One of the robbers jumped through the service window and went directly to the bottle of promethazine on a shelf, George Tadross, co-owner of MAC, told The Land. Meanwhile, the other man pointed his gun at a pharmacy technician and demanded “oxy.”
Tadross said the drugs stolen from the shelf are Schedule IV and V which are not very controlled substances compared to the Schedule II drugs demanded at gunpoint.
Although the robbers also took cash, “they were after the bottle,” Tadross said, adding that “they mix them with other drugs to make them more potent.”
“Typically, criminals steal pharmaceutical drugs to mix them with other drugs and sell them on the street,” Tadross said.
Responding to worries about crime
The incident comes just two weeks after a gunman shot nine people on W. 6th St. in downtown Cleveland and as the city reels from a summer of increased gun violence. Recently, Cleveland City Council member and safety committee chair Mike Polensek pleaded with Ohio Governor Mike DeWine for help addressing the city’s safety issues.
Tadross said that since the incident, MAC Pharmacy has taken steps to enhance safety, including adding a more secure entryway where visitors have to be buzzed in and placing cameras throughout the building.
Robin Robinson has been a MAC Pharmacy customer since they opened but was not aware of the robbery until she went to pick up a prescription for her pet later in the week and saw the sign directing customers to use the drive-through.
“Personally, I don’t mind going through the drive-through, I just didn’t expect it,” Robinson said.
Robinson also believes that crime contributed to the closure of an area laundromat and restaurant during the last 18 months.
Protecting pharmacies
Jacquelyn Bacchi, pharmacy manager for the Rite Aid located at 5411 Superior Ave. said that while that pharmacy has not experienced robbery, she learned during pharmacy school that pharmacies are sometimes targeted by thieves looking for potent, prescription-strength drugs. She also said that retail stores with a pharmacy typically have less theft because the pharmacy is located at the rear of the store and is more difficult to get in and out of, whereas independent pharmacies in standalone buildings without an attached retail store have bigger issues.
In February 2020, Cleveland.com reported a story in which four robbers entered Church Square Pharmacy located near East 79th St. and Euclid Ave. in the early afternoon and demanded opioid medication, codeine, and other drugs before filling a duffel bag with cash and various prescription drugs.
The Land called the Cleveland police department to inquire about whether or not there has been a rise in armed robbery of pharmacies throughout the city, but has been unable to speak with an official. Ward 9 Council Member Kevin Conwell, who said he had not been aware of the robbery before he talked to The Land, plans to visit the pharmacy on August 17.
Tadross said the community is aware of what happened and are understanding of the new security measures MAC has implemented. As a result of the robbery, the co-owners are not sure how much longer MAC Pharmacy will remain in the neighborhood.
Robinson is hopeful that MAC Pharmacy doesn’t close. “If they leave, it will be devastating for the community because there isn’t anything close to the one-on-one customer service that they provide,” Robinson said. “Also, there are so many people around here that don’t drive, so if they leave, what are people going to do?”
Editor’s note: This story was updated with Council Member Conwell’s response.
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