The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
A fake pill bottle with a GPS tracker helped the police find and arrest a Michigan man who allegedly robbed thousands of dollars worth of prescription drugs from several CVS pharmacies over two months.
Beginning on May 24, CVS pharmacies in four separate locations in midwestern Michigan were robbed of several prescription medications by an unknown suspect.
One of the stores in Van Buren Township was visited by the suspect twice. The first time was on May 24, and then again on June 8. The alleged robber went to the pharmacy in Saline on June 2, the Ann Arbor location on June 14, and the store in Milan on July 7.
The suspect reportedly used a similar method in each of the alleged heists. It was reported that he had what was thought to be a black handgun in his possession. After he allegedly had the drugs, he reportedly forced the people present to lie on the floor as he fled.
The man reportedly forced the workers to give him several types of prescription medication, including Percocet, Oxycodone, Xanax, Promethazine with Codeine, Adderall, and Morphine. The estimated cost of the total losses was between $37,000 and $47,000.
The FBI Detroit Violent Crime Task Force opened an investigation.
When the suspect revisited the CVS in Van Buren Township at the beginning of June, while the pharmacist followed the alleged robber’s demands and filled bags with bottles of medication, he slipped in a decoy bottle that had a GPS device inside.
The authorities used the tracker to find the individual they believed was responsible for the robberies, and the signal led them to an apartment complex in Bellville.
When they arrived at the building, the officers were approached by a man who reportedly said, “the guy you are looking for ran that way.”
It was decided that the man who offered the information was the suspect they were looking for. He was identified as 37-year-old Kristopher Kukola.
When his vehicle was searched, the police found a BB gun and the pill bottle with the GPS.
Kukola was arrested, and he is facing one federal count of pharmacy robbery, a felony. If he is convicted, he could spend up to 20 years in federal prison.
It was reported that Kukola has prior convictions for drug-related offenses and reckless driving.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a theft offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.