An eye witness reported seeing a suspicious vehicle parked at the Picayune Drug Company, and notified police of what turned out to be an early Wednesday morning burglary.

Investigators with the Picayune Police Department are working to establish a suspect or suspects in this case and also to determine whether or not there is a link between the robbery at this pharmacy and the robbery of another pharmacy last month. In both instances narcotic medication was taken.

Picayune Drug was reported to have been robbed early Wednesday morning when a witness reported seeing a car parked at the store and heard the engine start up. As the witness got a better look at the area, he could hear an alarm. The witness said he went to the police department to report the suspicious activity and give a description of the vehicle and a police officer went out to assess the situation.

The vehicle in the area was reported to be a white, late model Jeep SUV, according to a press release from the Picayune Police Department.

When the officer went to the store, he found the front left side door had the glass broken out of it, the release states

Apparently the suspect or suspects broke the glass, entered the store and took the drugs in just a minute or so, Deputy Chief David Ervin said.

“What we have is termed a smash-and-grab burglary,” Ervin said.

About a month ago, another Picayune pharmacy was also burglarized.

On Thursday, Jan. 15, two suspects broke into the Medical Center Pharmacy and took a number of narcotic medications. In that incident the suspects gained entry by first cutting the phone line to kill the alarm and then pried open the rear door. A dark-colored, extended-cab truck was witnessed in the area prior to that burglary.

Ervin said there is currently no evidence linking the two incidents, but the investigation is ongoing. Calls have been made to surrounding jurisdictions to determine if similar burglaries have taken place in the other cities around Picayune.

The department asks anyone with information on either or both incidents to call the police department at 601-798-7411, or the investigation division at 601-798-0374.