Armed Man Holds Up Pharmacy, Demands Drugs

DANVILLE, CA – A 33-year-old Oakland man was arrested Tuesday accused of robbing a Danville pharmacy at gunpoint, police said today.

On Tuesday shortly after 8 a.m., the suspect, Jonathan Szkotak, reportedly wore a surgical mask into the CVS on San Ramon Valley Boulevard, handed the pharmacist a note demanding drugs and flashed a black semi-automatic pistol, according to Danville Police Chief Allan Shields.

After receiving the pharmaceuticals, Szkotak left the store and drove off in a gray Toyota Prius, police said.

Based on a witness' description of the vehicle, officers located the car on the Town’s Automated License Plate Reader camera system, and an image of the license plate led to the identity and arrest of Szkotak Tuesday evening at his Oakland home, police said.

“We’re extremely pleased with this result and the great cooperation we receive from our residents,” Shields said. “Between the witness description and our own camera system, we were able to track this suspect down quickly and safely.”

Police did not disclose what type of drugs were taken in the incident.

Szkotak was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility on suspicion of robbery and has since been released on $100,000 bond, police said, adding that he is also being investigated in connection with a similar robbery that occurred in 2017 in Danville.

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--Image via Renee Schiavone