Keizer Police Arrest Rite Aid Robbery Suspect

(Keizer, Oregon) - Today at about 3:13 P.M., members of the Keizer Police Department responded to an Armed Robbery having just occurred at the Keizer Rite Aid Pharmacy located at 5452 River Road North. This was the third robbery of this pharmacy in the past eighteen (18) days. The first robbery occurred on Thursday, March 31st while the second occurred on Friday, April 8th.

Responding officers were advised that a white male adult had entered the business and proceeded to the pharmacy check out window where he presented a note demanding an unspecified prescription pain killer. The note indicated he would “shoot if they did not give him meds.” The suspect was described as wearing a surgical mask, a green jacket with hood, blue jeans and a stocking cap. The suspect ordered the Rite Aid employee to place the prescription medicines into a small plastic bag after which time he fled from the business.

Witnesses observed the suspect get into a small red motor vehicle that he used to flee from the business. The getaway vehicle was last seen travelling southbound on River Road North. The back of the vehicle was described as being “covered in stickers” one of which a witness specifically recalled was a “DC” (DC SHOE CO USA). This is a very common and recognizable logo.

Officers responding to check the area of River Road North found items they believed were associated with the robbery. It appeared the suspect discarded the items throwing them from the vehicle as he continued travelling southbound on River Road North. Some items to include the prescription pain medications and surgical mask were located in the southbound lane of River Road North near Cummings Lane North, while a green jacket was found in the same southbound lane about a block south of the same intersection. Officers blocked the southbound lanes of River Road for approximately 45-minutes until these items could be properly searched, collected and photographed as they were found.

At 3:21 p.m. and almost simultaneous to the discovery of physical evidence on River Road another Keizer Officer (Officer David Zavala) located what he believed to be the vehicle the suspect fled in. The vehicle, a red 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier, was found unoccupied on Hornet Drive North near Honeysuckle Way North. Not only were there several bumper stickers on the back of the vehicle, there was a large “DC” sticker one eyewitness had specifically said was displayed on the vehicle.

Additional officers responded to the immediate area and began establishing a perimeter looking for the fleeing suspect. Another witness told officers the suspect was last seen walking away from the vehicle southbound. Additionally, a DMV records check revealed the vehicle was registered to two individuals who reside in the 100 block of Appleblossom Drive North in Keizer. This street is approximately five blocks or three quarters of a mile south of where the vehicle had been abandon.

Approximately three minutes later another responding officer (Officer Juan Mendoza) located the suspect walking near the intersection of Jack Street North and Appleblossom Drive North. The suspect was detained by the officer without problem or resistance. The suspect was identified as Nicholas J. Miller. He was transported to the Keizer Police Department where he was interviewed by a Detective. Mr. Miller admitted that he was the sole person responsible for committing all three robberies at the Keizer Rite Aid store, on 03-31-11, on 04-08-11 and today. He said he was unarmed for all three robberies, but during two of them he admitted he produced a handwritten note which indicated to the clerk he was armed with a gun.

Mr. Miller admitted he borrowed the vehicle from his neighbor saying he needed to borrow it to go to the store to purchase some milk. The Keizer Police Department have no reason to believe at this time the neighbor and registered owners of the vehicle used in today’s incident had any knowledge of the suspects intentions to commit the robbery.

Mr. Miller has been transported to the Marion County Correctional Facility where he was lodged. He has been arrested for three counts of robbery in the second degree.

Anyone with information about this robbery is asked to contact Detective Tim Lathrop at 503-390-3713 Ext. 3481. The Keizer Police Department is particularly interested in anyone who may have witnessed the robbery or anyone who may have witnessed the suspect discarding items from the vehicle he was operating as he fled southbound on River Road.