Surveillance Footage Leads to Arrest in Pharmacy Robbery

A 44-year-old Waukesha man is facing charges after he allegedly robbed an area pharmacy using a gun frame he took from a foundry where he worked.

Robert J. Koebler was charged in Waukesha County Circuit Court on Wednesday with one count of armed robbery with use of force. If convicted, he faces up to 40 years in prison and $100,000 in fines.

According to the criminal complaint:

At 12:43 p.m. July 9, Koebler walked into the Moreland Plaza Pharmacy and handed a note to the pharmacist, which read “Opana and Percocet.” He then lifted up his shirt to show the butt of a gun inside his waistband, so the pharmacist went and got two bottles of Oxycodone and two bottles of Opana and put them in a bag for Koebler, who then fled out of the store.

Koebler emerged as a suspect in the robbery. Police interviewed his son, who said he and his dad both have issues with prescription pills and on the day of the incident Koebler was frantic and said he had done something bad. Two days later, he saw an Internet picture of the robbery and realized it was his dad.

He also told police his dad works at a foundry that makes frames for .45 caliber handguns and had seen the frames around the house at the time of the robbery.

Police then interviewed Koebler who said his landlord had been threatening to evict his family, so he decided to rob the pharmacy and sell the pills. After the incident took place, Koebler said he didn’t keep any of the pills and sold all of them to pay the rent.

He’s currently being held in Waukesha County Jail on $25,000 bond while awaiting trial.