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WILKES-BARRE — City police arrested Joshua Oliver, 19, on allegations he robbed Harrold’s Pharmacy on Old River Road on Monday.
Police stated Oliver entered the pharmacy and demanded a syringe. When the clerk refused to honor the request, Oliver claimed he had a firearm in his backpack and demanded a syringe, police reported.
Police stated Oliver fled the pharmacy with a box of syringes.
After police identified Oliver as the suspect from surveillance footage, Oliver entered city police headquarters about an unrelated incident and was arrested.
A backpack Oliver was carrying contained 110 syringes and a pellet gun, according to court records.
Oliver was arraigned by District Judge Joseph Spagnuolo of Plains Township on charges of robbery, retail theft and possessing instruments of crime. Oliver was jailed without bail at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility as Spagnuolo deemed him a flight risk and a danger to the community.
In an unrelated case, Oliver was to be under the influence of a controlled substance when police investigated an unresponsive person in the area of East Market Street and South Pennsylvania Avenue at about 3:40 a.m. on Sunday.
Police said Oliver was found carrying drug paraphernalia.