OPP are continuing to investigate an armed robbery at the Haliburton Highland Pharmacy Dec. 9.
The Haliburton Highlands detachment said that about 6 p.m., they responded to a report that two masked suspects had entered the Highland Street business brandishing a firearm. The suspects demanded, and received, narcotics. They then fled the scene. The employees were not injured.
The OPP Tactics and Rescue Unit, Canine, Emergency Response Unit and Forensic Identification Services all swarmed the site.
Shortly before 7 p.m., OPP tweeted they were conducting an ongoing investigation in the area of Haliburton to Tory Hill with a large police presence and requested residents stay inside and avoid the area if possible. A second tweet at 7:15 p.m. said the police presence was clearing.
The pharmacy declined comment on the incident, referring all inquiries to the OPP.
The Ontario Addiction Treatment Centre, which is co-located in the space and operates the medical clinic, was closed at the time of the alleged robbery, CEO Sonya J. Lockyer said. “As such, I cannot comment on as we do not own/ operate it,” she said of the pharmacy.
Dysart et al Mayor Andrea Roberts said she was driving by and noticed the large police presence.
“It was a little bit shocking,” she said. “I knew that something was up.”
She believes thieves are becoming more brazen and that drug-related crime has increased in the County.
Mayor: ‘crime affects all of us’
“Crime affects all of us. I feel for the people who work at that pharmacy. They had to deal with that situation. How frightening and scary for them.”
Haliburton BIA president, Luke Schell, said while the armed robbery was “concerning … I don’t think that it is something that is going to happen a whole bunch of times in Haliburton.”
He added, “I don’t think the drug problem we have in Haliburton County is any worse than many, many other towns such as ours. I quite honestly feel that most retail businesspeople around here feel like we’re in one of the safest communities going.”
Investigators are asking anyone with information about the incident, or the suspects’ identity, to contact them at 705-286-1431; toll-free at 1-888- 310-1122 or anonymously at Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477)
