Pharmacist Stops Cough Syrup Thief Trying To Make 'Purple Drank'

WAUNA, WA - A 75-year-old pharmacist tackled a would-be thief over the weekend. The thief was trying to steal cough syrup with codeine, which he would sell to people to make the narcotic cocktail "Purple Drank."

The incident happened Saturday morning at the Cost Less Pharmacy off SR 302 along 92nd Avenue Northwest. The suspect, a 21-year-old man, entered the store wearing surgical masks and rubber gloves. He simply walked behind the counter and started grabbing items, police reported.

When a pharmacist confronted the thief, he tried to run out the back door - that's when he was tackled. The pharmacist and several customers dragged the suspect back inside and held him down behind the counter until Gig Harbor and Pierce County police arrived.

The thief told police that he could sell the bottles of cough syrup for $100 at local parties. Purple drank - also known as sizzurp, lean, and dirty Sprite - is just cough syrup over ice with soda and sometimes a few Jolly Rancher candies thrown in.

The suspect was taken to the Pierce County Jail on a first-degree robbery charge.

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