Man Accused of Stealing $100K in Prescription Pills

The St. Petersburg Police Department has announced an arrest in a Walgreens burglary from earlier this week that resulted in more than $100,000 in prescription pills being swiped.

Cale B. Gilmen, 21, was charged in connection with the Oct. 6 robbery on Friday morning. Gilmen was identified as the suspect after a tip came in through the agency’s TIP411 text service. The tipster told police a man that looked like the suspect frequented a local gym. After comparing video from the gym and the crime scene, police say they moved in to make the arrest.

Police say they found Gilmen sleeping at a relative’s home on Indian Rocks Beach Friday. Although he had shaved his head, officers made the positive identification. They also found a large amount of prescription drugs under the bed he was sleeping on, an email from the agency stated.

The burglary in question was reported around 8:30 a.m. Oct. 6 at the 6735 Central Ave. Walgreens. The pharmacist noticed a large amount of prescription painkillers missing from the store’s stock and called police.

A review of the surveillance video showed the crime unfold around 11 p.m. the night before. A man in his 20s was seen on the video forcing open a locked metal shutter at the pharmacy counter. He took a large number of pills and then walked out the front door of the store.

“Store workers noticed suspicious behavior, but they thought he had stolen candy and he didn’t stop when they said something,” an email from police noted.

Gilmen has been charged with burglary with drug possession charges pending.

He had yet to be booked into the Pinellas County Jail as of Friday afternoon.

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