Entrance to Lynnwood pharmacy destroyed in attempted burglary

LYNNWOOD, Wash. — The entrance to a Lynnwood pharmacy was destroyed overnight in an attempted burglary.

Police arrived at the CVS Pharmacy at 19507 Highway 99 after receiving reports that a truck backed through its front doors.

Lynnwood Police Department spokesperson Maren McKay said it was around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday when at least two people tried to get through the storefront. Though they succeeded in destroying the door, they came up empty-handed.

KIRO 7 News video from the scene at around 5:30 a.m. showed the front glass doors were broken and ripped off of their tracks, leaving the entrance in shambles.

After the crash, the passenger then got out of the truck and went into the store. When officers arrived, the driver fled in the truck, according to Lynnwood police.

The passenger tried to run away but was caught and arrested.

McKay said the driver then abandoned the truck — which is believed to have been stolen — switched to another vehicle, and managed to get away. Police are still working to identify the driver.

Burglaries in which the suspects use a vehicle to breach a building are becoming more common.

“My officers told me this is a trend they’re seeing around the greater Seattle area,” said McKay.

Frank Jeffery works on a construction crew that’s doing a project near the corner where the CVS store is located. He said a woman on the overnight crew called 911 after seeing some of what happened.

“They just heard it and it was really loud, so she reported it to the police,” said Jeffery.

He lamented that smash-and-grab-style burglaries are becoming a norm.

“The way this world is going today it doesn’t surprise me. It’s getting crazy out there. (We’ve) just got to protect our families and try to be safe,” said Jeffery.

Police believe the CVS was targeted.

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