Police say the gunman who robbed the Prince Kuhio Plaza Longs Drugs pharmacy in Hilo on Sunday night was armed with what appears to be a semi-automatic rifle.
“It appears to be an AR-type rifle,” said Lt. Rio Amon-Wilkins of the Hilo Criminal Investigations Section.
Asked what was taken during the 9:45 p.m. armed robbery, Amon-Wilkins replied, “Prescription medications.”
“We’re not going to release the specifics of what was taken at this point,” he said.
As for the dollar amount of the the stolen pharmaceuticals, Amon-Wilkins hesitated and said, “There’s the retail value, and there’s the street value.”
“It was substantial,” he added.
According to Amon-Wilkins, the gunman made “a generalized verbal threat” while in the store.
“He came in contact with several people in the store,” Amon-Wilkins said. “He came in contact with employees and customers upon entry to the store, and he also encountered other employees in the back.”
Amon-Wilkins said there were “several calls to dispatch” to alert police about the robbery.
“We definitely want to locate the responsible party,” he said. “We have robberies, but we typically don’t have this type of brazen incident.”
Police are still seeking the suspect, who was being described as “stocky,” between 5-feet-6-inches and 6-feet tall, wearing long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, and tactical-type vest. In addition to the firearm he brandished, the gunman was carrying what appeared to be a large, dark-colored backpack or duffel bag.
His head and face were concealed.
According to police, the man left in a sport-utility-type vehicle, possibly a silver Nissan.
Anyone who may know the identity of the suspect or has information on the robbery is asked to call the police department’s nonemergency number at 935-3311 or Crime Stoppers at 961-8300.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.