Employees tied up during pharmacy robbery in Westland

WESTLAND, Mich. (WXYZ) - Men with guns tied up employees at a Westland pharmacy while they stole prescription drugs and cash.

Karen Wilkie ran up to the store after she received a disturbing phone call about her boss Ollie.

“I just got the phone call that he was robbed and they tied him up,” said Willie.

Her boss Ollie and two other employees were tied up by three men with guns.  The men robbed the Good Neighbor Family Pharmacy during business hours of prescription drugs and cash.

“They jumped over the counter tied up the 3 employees inside and looted the pharmacy of an unknown description of narcotics,” said Sgt. Todd Adams with the Westland Police Department.

“They were probably here for the hard drugs.  The Vicodin, the Xanax, the Valium,” said Wilkie.  She said someone robbed the pharmacy six months ago, but it happened at night when no one was working.  The business has been in Westland on South Venoy for the past 12 years.

“I started crying when I didn’t know if he was okay.  Because I care for him a lot because he cares for us,” said Rochelle Parks.  Parks is a long time customer and said that she comes here because Ollie treats customers like family.  She came to see that he and the other employees who were tied up are okay.

 “There’s been times or two where i have my script in there but didn’t have the change, so he helped me out until I could get the change.  You don’t find that at other drug stores,” said Troy Parks, another customer.

Police say the gunmen wore long sleeve shirts and face masks to conceal their identity, but they are hoping to pull something from the store’s surveillance video that can help catch the thieves.

When Ollie finally walked out of the pharmacy he did not want to talk about the ordeal, but did tell us he is okay.   Only one other customer was in the store at the time of the robbery.  The suspects did not tie her up but stole her purse.

If you have any information abouty he robbery, please call the Westland Police Department at (734) 722-9600.