Man robs Norwich pharmacy, gets a ticket for robbery
Norwich City Police at the Walgreens Friday morning. The business was robbed Thursday night and the suspected robber was arrested and released Friday morning on an appearance ticket due to the new bail reform laws. (Photo by Tyler Murphy)
NORWICH – Thursday evening a 29-year-old man wearing a camouflage balaclava mask walked into the Norwich Walgreens on North Broad Street and allegedly demanded a cashier hand over all the cash in their register.
According to Chenango County District Attorney Michael Ferrarese the man walked into the store “put his hand in his pocket and told the clerk something along the lines of 'This is no joke, give me your money.'”
The suspect, David Daniel Brunell, of Norwich, was later arrested and charged with felony robbery and petit larceny, a misdemeanor, but due to bail reform laws passed by New York State that took effect in 2020, he will be released without bail on an appearance ticket.
“If I had my preference he would be in jail on bail. He is a risk and a danger to the community but unfortunately the bail laws passed by the New York legislature do not permit me to make that request,” said Ferrarese.
Ferrarese said Brunell had admitted to the crime after being arrested and police investigators said he wanted money to buy drugs.
At approximately 7:20 p.m., the Norwich City Police Department received a radio call of a robbery in progress at Walgreens Pharmacy at 82 North Broad Street in the City of Norwich. Officers arrived at Walgreens just after the suspect had fled with an undisclosed amount of money.
Police reviewed surveillance video and interviewed witnesses and one of the police investigators thought he recognized the suspect from a previous encounter with local law enforcement.
“With the help of the attentive citizens of Norwich, and a thorough investigation from members of the Norwich Police Department, we were able to make a quick arrest of the person responsible for the robbery,” reported NPD Detective Sergeant Reuben Roach.
Officers worked through the night and eventually arrested Brunell at about 5:45 a.m. on Friday.
“In accordance with bail reform laws, Brunell was released on an appearance ticket to appear at Norwich City Court at a later date,” Roach confirmed. “The crime was definitely drug-related.”
Workers at Walgreens said they are scared the man might return to the property.
Long-time manager of the store, Jerry Riesen said he could not comment on the incident but said, “Employees followed protocols. I'm sure they were scared. Speaking for myself, I am always worried about my staff, this is Norwich and there are many drug issues here.”
Before the 2020 bail reforms were passed by New York's majority Democratic legislature, third degree robbery would have been considered a violent crime.
“The business was robbed. That employee was terrified. That was an area of law that unfortunately bail reform changed and it has had adverse consequences for our community. It's just another example of the consequences not being thought out by the legislature,” said Ferrarese.
“He's a danger to the community, no doubt about it. If you are walking into a business and robbing people, you are dangerous.”
Brunell will be arraigned in Norwich City Court Friday morning and the DA's office will request a condition of his release be that he does not return to Walgreens.
“That's the best I can do given the current state of the law,” said the DA.
Police said Brunell was known to local law enforcement.
In 2009 the Evening Sun wrote a story about Brunell breaking into the Norwich McDonald's, headlined “Fast Food Burglar Caught Just As Fast.”
He was 17-years-old at the time and was charged with felony burglary and two misdemeanors, criminal mischief and petit larceny. Police also suspected drugs played a role in those crimes.
By contrast, a 17-year-old Brunell was arraigned in Norwich court and remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility in lieu of $25,000 cash bail after his 2009 arrest.
Police investigating that incident a decade ago, said Brunell broke into the McDonald’s at around 2:30 a.m. after using a park bench to shatter the drive-through window.
They said he then crawled in through the small window and was injured by broken glass. Police said he was caught on the security surveillance system dangling from the window by his sneakers at one point and later seen eating hamburger buns as he rummaged through the fast food restaurant.
Brunell also reportedly attempted to force open the business’ safe and cash registers, leaving bloody fingerprints at the scene as a result of his injuries.
According to Chenango County District Attorney Michael Ferrarese the man walked into the store “put his hand in his pocket and told the clerk something along the lines of 'This is no joke, give me your money.'”
The suspect, David Daniel Brunell, of Norwich, was later arrested and charged with felony robbery and petit larceny, a misdemeanor, but due to bail reform laws passed by New York State that took effect in 2020, he will be released without bail on an appearance ticket.
“If I had my preference he would be in jail on bail. He is a risk and a danger to the community but unfortunately the bail laws passed by the New York legislature do not permit me to make that request,” said Ferrarese.
Ferrarese said Brunell had admitted to the crime after being arrested and police investigators said he wanted money to buy drugs.
At approximately 7:20 p.m., the Norwich City Police Department received a radio call of a robbery in progress at Walgreens Pharmacy at 82 North Broad Street in the City of Norwich. Officers arrived at Walgreens just after the suspect had fled with an undisclosed amount of money.
Police reviewed surveillance video and interviewed witnesses and one of the police investigators thought he recognized the suspect from a previous encounter with local law enforcement.
“With the help of the attentive citizens of Norwich, and a thorough investigation from members of the Norwich Police Department, we were able to make a quick arrest of the person responsible for the robbery,” reported NPD Detective Sergeant Reuben Roach.
Officers worked through the night and eventually arrested Brunell at about 5:45 a.m. on Friday.
“In accordance with bail reform laws, Brunell was released on an appearance ticket to appear at Norwich City Court at a later date,” Roach confirmed. “The crime was definitely drug-related.”
Workers at Walgreens said they are scared the man might return to the property.
Long-time manager of the store, Jerry Riesen said he could not comment on the incident but said, “Employees followed protocols. I'm sure they were scared. Speaking for myself, I am always worried about my staff, this is Norwich and there are many drug issues here.”
Before the 2020 bail reforms were passed by New York's majority Democratic legislature, third degree robbery would have been considered a violent crime.
“The business was robbed. That employee was terrified. That was an area of law that unfortunately bail reform changed and it has had adverse consequences for our community. It's just another example of the consequences not being thought out by the legislature,” said Ferrarese.
“He's a danger to the community, no doubt about it. If you are walking into a business and robbing people, you are dangerous.”
Brunell will be arraigned in Norwich City Court Friday morning and the DA's office will request a condition of his release be that he does not return to Walgreens.
“That's the best I can do given the current state of the law,” said the DA.
Police said Brunell was known to local law enforcement.
In 2009 the Evening Sun wrote a story about Brunell breaking into the Norwich McDonald's, headlined “Fast Food Burglar Caught Just As Fast.”
He was 17-years-old at the time and was charged with felony burglary and two misdemeanors, criminal mischief and petit larceny. Police also suspected drugs played a role in those crimes.
By contrast, a 17-year-old Brunell was arraigned in Norwich court and remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility in lieu of $25,000 cash bail after his 2009 arrest.
Police investigating that incident a decade ago, said Brunell broke into the McDonald’s at around 2:30 a.m. after using a park bench to shatter the drive-through window.
They said he then crawled in through the small window and was injured by broken glass. Police said he was caught on the security surveillance system dangling from the window by his sneakers at one point and later seen eating hamburger buns as he rummaged through the fast food restaurant.
Brunell also reportedly attempted to force open the business’ safe and cash registers, leaving bloody fingerprints at the scene as a result of his injuries.
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