'We are going to hunt you down': Dearborn Hts police warn suspects targeting mom and pop pharmacies

DEARBORN HTS, Mich. (FOX 2) - Friday morning, at least two locally owned pharmacies were targeted by a crew in Dearborn Heights. And police want them to know that they are right behind them.

Dearborn Heights Police Director of Support Services Paul Vanderplow has a strong message to the crew targeting these mom-and-pop shops: it's only a matter of time before they catch up to them.

"We are going to find you and we are going to hunt you down and when we catch you, you will pay the price," Vanderplow said. 

According to Vanderplow, the suspects see the locally owned stores as easy targets with money and drugs. The first attempted robbery happened at Cornermed Pharmacy off Warren near Gulley. At least three people came in and implied they had weapons but it didn't go as planned.

"It seems like the store set up security features they had in there. Something spooked them," Vanderplow said.

Then they targeted Todd’s Pharamcy a mile and a half away at Ford and Beech Daly.

"(They) entered the establishment, took over took some cash and narcotics from the pharmacy, and left in a waiting vehicle," he said.

Apparently, this same crew has hit the area recently. Police are still trying to piece all of the evidence together. 

"I have a full detective working this right now along with our partners over in Dearborn and Garden City. These things are not based on towns, they're based on regions," Vanderplow said. 

Police said there's a reason they skipped over the chain stores, thinking the smaller ones would be easier targets. Now Vanderplow has a message to similar businesses in the area right now: be ready.

"Harden your physical facility. Make sure cameras work and they're trained on doors and the immediate area. Take those preventative measures," he said.