Hamilton police renew appeal after August robbery at Stoney Creek pharmacy

Hamilton Police issued a renewed public appeal on October 23 after an August robbery at a Shoppers Drug Mart in Stoney Creek. The service says the original incident took place at about 10:10 a.m. on August 16 at Eastgate Square. According to police, a man entered the store and began taking medication from shelves. When employees confronted him, police say he produced a knife, threatened staff and left the mall on foot with merchandise.

The October release asks anyone who recognizes the person shown in police-released images, or who has information about the incident, to contact investigators. Hamilton Police say the investigation remains ongoing. The department’s account is the source for the allegations summarized here; the release does not report an arrest or charge. A police appeal is not a finding of guilt, and the October 23 date reflects a renewed request for information—not the date the robbery occurred.

What is known—and what is not

The release identifies the store and the reported sequence of events, but it does not specify the medications’ names, quantities or whether any controlled drugs were involved. It also does not provide information about patient prescriptions affected by the theft or whether the store’s operations were interrupted. Those details should not be inferred from the fact that medication was taken from a pharmacy.

For pharmacy teams, a robbery or threat is first a staff-safety incident. Medication inventory and business continuity matter, but they should not take priority over people’s immediate safety. The public appeal also illustrates how police may reissue or renew a request days or weeks after an event as an investigation develops. Reporting should preserve both dates so readers do not mistake an update for a new crime.

Practical considerations for pharmacy workplaces

• Follow the pharmacy’s emergency and workplace-violence procedures, and contact emergency services when there is an immediate threat.
• Staff should not physically confront or pursue a person suspected of theft; prioritize creating distance and getting colleagues and customers to safety.
• After the scene is safe, follow the employer’s process for documenting the incident, securing relevant records or video, and notifying police and the appropriate internal contacts.
• If a store closure, damaged stock or interrupted dispensing affects patients, use the pharmacy’s continuity process to protect prescription access and maintain patient confidentiality.
• When discussing a police appeal, repeat only information released by investigators, attribute unproven claims, and avoid identifying or speculating about a person beyond what authorities have made public.

Hamilton Police list Detective Constable Neenos Gorrges of the BEAR Unit and Detective Staff Sergeant Dave Brewster as contacts for information. The service says the investigation is still open. Pharmasist.ca will treat any later arrest, charge or court outcome as a separate development and update the account only when a reliable public source confirms it.

Primary sources

• Hamilton Police Seek Suspect in Knife-Point Robbery — Hamilton Police Service, Oct. 23, 2026.