2 charged in OxyContin drug thefts

Two Cochrane, Alta., residents have been charged in connection with a recent string of Calgary drugstore robberies, city police say.

In all cases, the thieves were after the highly addictive prescription narcotic, OxyContin.

Robert Gauthier, 33, is charged with eight counts of robbery, eight counts of possessing a controlled substance and one count of possession of a weapon dangerous to public peace, police said in a news release Tuesday.

Dawn Farkas, 26, is charged with 11 counts of robbery and 10 counts of being in possession of a controlled substance, police said.

Acting Staff Sgt. Jim Ball said the pair turned themselves in to police.

After releasing photos last week of two people who might have "information" on the case, Ball said police received a number of tips from the public.

He would not comment on the amount of OxyContin police may have seized, saying the case is now before the courts.

Pharmacies in the Signal Hill area, Strathcona Park, Glamorgan and Rosscarrock as well Cochrane were robbed between Oct. 17 and Jan. 23.