AUGUSTA — Police are investigating a robbery and a robbery attempt at two Rite Aid pharmacies in the city that occurred within minutes of each other Tuesday night.

A man attempted to rob the Rite Aid at 2007 North Belfast Ave. at 5:40 p.m. Police said a man entered the store and walked to the pharmacy where he presented a threatening note demanding prescription medication. He fled on foot almost immediately and without taking anything, according to a news release from Deputy Chief Jared Mills of the Augusta police.

Additional Images

Augusta police Sgt. Vincente Morris closes the doors Tuesday at the Rite Aid pharmacy on Hospital Street in Augusta after it was robbed. Police were investigating a report of an attempted robbery at the Rite Aid on North Belfast Avenue in Augusta when the Hospital Street pharmacy was hit, according to police.
Augusta police Sgt. Vincente Morris closes the doors Tuesday at the Rite Aid pharmacy on Hospital Street in Augusta after it was robbed. Police were investigating a report of an attempted robbery at the Rite Aid on North Belfast Avenue in Augusta when the Hospital Street pharmacy was hit, according to police. Staff photo by Andy Molloy
Augusta police Sgt. Vincente Morris, right, speaks with Augusta police Lt. Chris Massey, center, and Officer Jess Brann on Tuesday outside the Rite Aid on North Belfast Avenue in Augusta. As police were investigating an attempted robbery at the pharmacy, the Rite Aid on Hospital Street in Augusta was robbed.
Augusta police Sgt. Vincente Morris, right, speaks with Augusta police Lt. Chris Massey, center, and Officer Jess Brann on Tuesday outside the Rite Aid on North Belfast Avenue in Augusta. As police were investigating an attempted robbery at the pharmacy, the Rite Aid on Hospital Street in Augusta was robbed. Staff photo by Andy Molloy
A photo from store surveillance video shows a suspect Tuesday in an attempted robbery at the Rite Aid pharmacy on North Belfast Avenue in Augusta.
A photo from store surveillance video shows a suspect Tuesday in an attempted robbery at the Rite Aid pharmacy on North Belfast Avenue in Augusta.
A photo from surveillance video shows a robbery suspect Tuesday at the Rite Aid pharmacy on Hospital Street in Augusta.
A photo from surveillance video shows a robbery suspect Tuesday at the Rite Aid pharmacy on Hospital Street in Augusta.

The suspect was described as being about 5-foot 8-inches tall with tattoos on his neck.

About 15 minutes later, the Rite Aid pharmacy at 83 Hospital St. was robbed of prescription medications by a suspect of the same description. No weapon was displayed at either pharmacy, although the suspect threatened to use one.

The area has seen a spate of pharmacy robberies recently.

The Rite Aid pharmacy in Manchester was robbed of prescription painkillers on Aug. 3 – it was the second time that pharmacy had been robbed since 2011. The suspect in the Aug. 3 robbery, Thomas Bourque, 31, of Belgrade, turned himself in Friday and is being held in Kennebec County jail.

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Bourque made an initial appearance on the robbery charge on Tuesday via video from the jail.

Pharmacies in Randolph and Gardiner also were robbed recently.

No suspect has been caught in the Aug. 18 robbery of the Community Pharmacy inside Goggin’s IGA on Water Street in Randolph, but Gardiner police arrested Jesse Mansir, 31, of Randolph, nine hours after a robbery at the Rite Aid on Spring Street on Aug. 21.

 

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