NORWICH – Following a weekend theft at Chenango Memorial Hospital, police arrested a man Wednesday and charged him with a high level drug felony. He’s accused of stealing a number of controlled substances from a medical security cabinet.
The City of Norwich Police Department charged 27-year-old Christopher R. White, currently homeless in the Norwich area, with third degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a B class felony and third degree burglary, a D class felony. White was also charged with three misdemeanor level offenses – possession of burglar’s tool, fourth degree criminal mischief and petit larceny.
Police said White was involved in a burglary at the hospital this past Saturday evening in which he entered a restricted area of the facility and broke open a locked storage container. Allegedly, White then removed a “number of” prescription narcotics and left the hospital.
The Norwich Police were assisted in the investigation by the New York State Bureau of Controlled Substances.
Deputy Police Chief Rodney Marsh said officers worked closely with hospital staff in developing a description of a possible suspect. From the description, police were able to develop a lead in the case which eventually led them to an arrest.
“Officers’ familiarity with their patrol assignments and individuals they have dealt with in the past was essential in this case,” said Marsh. “The individual responsible was not an employee of the hospital, nor was he ever employed there.”
Detective Michael Purdy said the drugs taken were injectable pain-killers used prior to surgery and “worth several thousand dollars on the street.” He also said the crime appeared to be motivated by a drug addiction.
White was arraigned in Norwich City Court and remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility in lieu of $5,000 cash bail.
District Attorney Joseph McBride reported Thursday morning that White could be sentenced to up to 9 years in prison for just the B felony filed against him.
White will appear in court at a later date.