Men charged with
pharmacy burglaries

By William Kenny
Times Staff Writer

Joseph Wojtiw and more than a dozen other Philadelphia men didn’t see burglary as a way to grab some quick cash. According to federal authorities, Wojtiw and his cohorts viewed the crime much like a cottage industry.
In a two and a half year span starting in late 2002, the Fishtown- and Kensington-based crew burglarized more than 45 small pharmacies in the Philadelphia area and well beyond, according to U.S. Attorney Patrick Meehan. Last week, Meehan and other federal and local authorities announced the filing of three grand jury indictments against Wojtiw and his alleged colleagues.
After stealing large quantities of prescription drugs such as OxyContin and Percocet, the men would sell the pills on the streets of Philadelphia, Meehan said during a Nov. 14 news conference. In all, they allegedly ripped off drugs with a combined street value of $3 million.
Also, on one occasion, Meehan said, the men allegedly broke into a Central Pennsylvania gun shop, stole 188 firearms and sold them on Philadelphia’s black market.
But they mainly focused on pharmacies.
"This was a roving band of burglars that targeted small ‘mom and pop’ pharmacies because their security systems were easy to breach," Meehan said. "The drugs they stole were chosen because of their high street value."
According to court documents in the case, the men got their start in and around Northeast Philadelphia. They hit Street Road Pharmacy in Bensalem twice, as well as Budget Drug in Feasterville in December 2002.
The following year, they allegedly broke into pharmacies in West Norriton, Wynnewood, Levittown and Boothwyn.
In early 2004, the men allegedly struck Shield’s Pharmacy in Trevose, Bell’s Pharmacy at 8508 Bustleton Ave., Verree Pharmacy at 7960 Verree Road and Northeast Philadelphia Pharmacy twice. The federal prosecutor did not specify which of two Northeast Pharmacy locations was burglarized.
Later in 2004, the suspects broke into three more Levittown pharmacies, as well as one of five Shelly’s Pharmacy locations in the Northeast, the indictment states. By October of that year, the group allegedly expanded its operations into the Scranton and Harrisburg areas. In 2005, they allegedly moved into New Jersey.
Typically, the defendants would drive "around various areas" to scout for potential targets, the federal prosecutor said. After identifying a location, they would disable the alarm system and wait to see if any police showed up. Once the coast was clear, they would enter the business and make off with the pills.
The men allegedly worked in teams of two, three or four. The 28-year-old Wojtiw took part in all but a few of the heists, according to the indictments.
Other defendants named in the case include Jeffery McGurk, 35; Joseph Malkowski, 24; James Lenegan, 40; John Malloy, 29; William Hudicek, 33; Donald Homan, 32; Jessey Colon, 25; John James Jr., 36; Robert Dunphy, 32; Edward Hopkins, 31; Ehab Darwish, 28; Waeal Masad, 24; John Flynn, 28; Michael Homan, 24; and Mark Hoffman, 32. All but Havertown’s Colon are from Philadelphia.
Meehan’s office did not release home addresses of the men, citing its own policy prohibiting such releases.
The defendants are charged with varying counts of burglary, conspiracy, drug possession and drug distribution. Some of the men are charged with illegal weapons possession and weapons distribution in connection with the gun store burglary. ••