Suspect caught in pharmacy robbery

A pharmacy on Rockaway Avenue was robbed early Thursday morning and a suspect is now in custody. Police say that 28-year-old Nicholas Inslee, of East Rockaway, entered Laurel Pharmacy with a BB gun shortly before 9 a.m.

According to police, Inslee — wearing latex gloves and a black mask — struck the pharmacist with the gun several times, knocking the man to the ground. Inslee then stole prescription drugs off the shelf and fled the scene, police say. He was arrested later on Mill Road in Hewlett.

Police say they recovered a BB gun, bloodied gloves, a black mask and a botle of Oxycontin in his vehicle.

The pharmacist was transported to a local hospital to be treated for contusions to his face and neck, lacerations on his lip and ear, and a broken finger. There were no customers in the story at the time of the robbery. Witnesses outside heard the victim screaming for help and called police.

Inslee has been charged with first-degree robbery, second-degree assault and resisting arrest. He was to be arraigned on Friday in First District Court.