3 arrested in robbery at Taylorsville pharmacy

TAYLORSVILLE, N.C. — Surveillance video captured a robbery at a local pharmacy and now three people are in jail, charged in connection with the crime.

But investigators said it's what the camera captured outside that led to their arrests.

Investigators said it came down to the getaway vehicle they saw on the surveillance video. It was a blue pickup truck with black stripes, and two of their officers recognized it.

They said they found it at a motel in Hickory.

The armed robbery happened at People's Pharmacy in Taylorsville.

Police arrested Joseph Milam, who apologized on camera.

“Sorry,” he said.

“You're sorry about all this?” Eyewitness News asked.

“Yes,” he said.

Police staked out a house in Alexander County all night, looking for the getaway vehicle.

Investigators believe Darryl Cupp was the getaway driver and Haley Stevens helped the two men.

Officers said the painkillers stolen were either sold at a motel in Hickory or consumed.

“The tremendous -- it is (an) epidemic problem of prescription drugs,” Taylorsville Police Chief Tony Jones said. “Unfortunately these things are not going to stop. They are not going to stop."

This is the second time in the past two months the pharmacy was hit. The owner of the drug store appreciates the hard work of police but said he's now increasing security.  He is adding more cameras and lighting around the pharmacy to fight what has become a dangerous trend across the Carolinas.

“All of these people getting pain medicine from so many different places now.  It is just hard to manage this and when they don't get their medicine, the only thing that can stop them is a gun,” Phil Icard said.

The store owner has also started hiring off-duty police officers to protect his business.

Investigators at this point do not believe the three people arrested Monday were involved in last month's robbery.

WSOC