Update: 1:21 p.m.
Owner/pharmacist Joelle Mbamy says the man arrested at her Main Street store Friday morning was trying to have forged prescriptions filled.
Mbamy, who was with her teenaged daughter Donna Mbamy-Conci, at Sunrise Pharmacy, pushed the panic button to alert police to what she believed to be an emergency situation.
“In the meantime the guy could tell something was happening, he said: “Is my prescription ready?’ this guy knows something is wrong and he’s marking time so I told Donna to pretend to count the pills,” said Mbamy. “He said: ’Is there a problem? Is something happening?’ and I said: ‘No, no, no we’re just helping you, no worries.’
“He had come in earlier in the morning with a prescription for a drug (OxyContin) I didn’t have and then he came back with another prescription, the same kind of drug but very hard.”
At that point the police called to confirm the emergency and Donna took the mobile phone to the back room and shortly afterwards the RCMP arrived.
One patrol car was on the sidewalk at the south end of the pharmacy and the other was parked on Main Street blocking the Fairview Road access.
The man, wearing a blue jacket and dark pants, was handcuffed and put into the back of the police vehicle.
A bicycle and backpack believed to belong to the man were also taken by police.
This is not the first time Mbamy has been approached with forged prescriptions and said in the past she has feared for her safety, recalling one time where she ran from an agitated man after he became aggressive.
“Anybody’s behaviour is very erratic, they’re on edge, they’re wanting something they’re not entitled to and if we say ‘you forged this,’ we don’t know what the next reaction will be,” said Donna.
In this case Mbamy describe the male as “a gentleman” telling her initially the narcotics were for his son.
At this point it’s not known if any charges will be filed connection with the matter.
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Update 10:15 a.m.
The RCMP have left the scene and all roads are open. It’s believed the man arrested had been in Sunrise Pharmacy when police were notified.
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RCMP have blocked off a portion of Main Street and Fairview Road.
One male has been arrested and was put into the back of an RCMP SUV along with a bicycle.
One lane is open on Main Street.
The Penticton Western News has a reporter on scene. This story will be updated as more information comes in.
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