TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa police said a man was arrested for robbing several stores in south Tulsa.
Andrew Wise is accused of stealing money and promethazine codeine syrup from the stores.
Tulsa Police Lt. Justin Ritter said these type of robberies are known as “Note Jobs.”
Police said on May 17, Wise allegedly robbed a Braums near 71st and Sheridan in south Tulsa. They said he was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and mask when he passed a note to an employee that said he had a gun. He left the store on foot with cash.
A police report said on May 21, Wise allegedly robbed a CVS at 71st and Yale, just a block away from the Braums. A police report said the suspect went through the open pharmacy window and gave an employee a note that said he had a gun and demanded “prometh syrup/codeine.” He was again wearing a hooded sweatshirt and mask, and left the store on foot.
Even though the suspect isn’t proven to have a gun, police take the investigation just as seriously as an armed robbery.
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“It’s the same thing as an armed robbery,” Ritter said. “You’re still using fear and the threat of force, and we have to assume that the suspect is armed until we conclude our investigation and conclude that they are not.”
On May 23 around 1 p.m., police said a suspect robbed a Reasors near 71st and Sheridan, just across the street from the Braums that was robbed. Wise allegedly left the store on foot with promethazine hydrochloride and codeine phosphate.
Police got a tip on May 23 that Wise was the one who stole the promethazine codeine syrup from the CVS at 71st and Yale. Police got a search warrant for Wise’s apartment, and found shoes that looked exactly like the ones worn at the Braums robbery, clothes that were worn at the robberies, a bottle of codeine syrup and a notebook that had writing in it that looked like the writing on the robbery notes.
Wise was arrested for three counts of robbery with a dangerous weapon.
Ritter said officers didn’t find a gun in Wise’s possession, but he is still booked for robbery with a dangerous weapon. The District Attorney will determine what charges they want to press.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse says promethazine-codeine cough syrup is a medication that contains codeine, an opioid that acts as a cough suppressant and can also produce relaxation and euphoria when consumed at a higher-than-prescribed dose.
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