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Man’s bail set at $1.6 million in pharmacy robberies

A 50-YEAR-OLD MAN was held on $1.6 million bail Wednesday in a nearly yearlong alleged robbery spree of pharmacies throughout Northeast Philadelphia.

A 50-YEAR-OLD MAN was held on $1.6 million bail Wednesday in a nearly yearlong alleged robbery spree of pharmacies throughout Northeast Philadelphia.

William Webb - who was nabbed Monday after police say he robbed a Rite Aid in Rhawnhurst and stole a bottle of narcotics embedded with a GPS tracking device - faces charges of aggravated assault, robbery, possession of drugs with intent to distribute, violation of the Uniform Firearms Act and related offenses in 16 robberies from December until his arrest Monday.

After Webb and his alleged accomplice, identified by officials as Edward Schaeffer, 29, allegedly stole narcotics from the Rite Aid at Solly Avenue and Roosevelt Boulevard on Monday night, police tracked them down at a house on Torresdale Avenue in Tacony with the help of a GPS tracker placed in one of the pill bottles by the pharmacy. Both men were arrested there.

District Attorney's Office spokeswoman Tasha Jamerson said in a statement Wednesday that Schaeffer also will face charges in the robberies.

The pharmacies Webb is accused of robbing at gunpoint include: Circle Pharmacy in Holme Circle; Stanwood Pharmacy in Rhawnhurst; CVS pharmacies in Upper Holmesburg and Burholme; and Rite Aid pharmacies in Fox Chase, Upper Holmesburg, Mayfair and Parkwood.

Webb is scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing Nov. 21.

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Blog: PhillyConfidential.com