Ernelle Oliver, RN, robbed the same Jewel-Osco pharmacy in Chicago's South Loop neighborhood twice before being arrested Monday on her third attempt, according to a report from the Chicago Sun-Times.
Ms. Oliver — a 58-year-old resident of Richton Park, Ill. — admitted to robbing the pharmacy Jan. 27 and March 17 prior her third attempt Monday, according to the report. During each robbery, Ms. Oliver stole hundreds of tablets of alprazolam, a medication used to treat anxiety disorders and most commonly referred to by the brand name Xanax.
During the Jan. 27 incident, Ms. Oliver reportedly approached the pharmacy counter carrying an unidentified object and said, "give me your Xanax and don't push any buttons, or I will shoot you," according to a police report cited by the Sun-Times. Ms. Oliver left the pharmacy with 262 Xanax tablets in two containers.
On March 17, Ms. Oliver returned to the pharmacy and demanded the same medication, this time while brandishing a "claw-like" object. She walked away with more than 500 pills of Xanax, according to the report.
On Monday, Ms. Oliver entered the pharmacy and was spotted and held by store security until police arrived. Ms. Oliver was arrested carrying a knife and an action figure. She reportedly confessed to the robberies, stating she suffers from mental health issues, according the report.
Ms. Oliver has held a valid nursing license in the state of Illinois since 2001. She was released from police custody and placed on electronic monitoring.