Pair charged in Kentville pharmacy robbery

The trouble with prescription drugs continues in the Annapolis Valley following a pharmacy robbery Saturday.

On Saturday,Kristin Dawn Dowling, 28, and Colin Timothy Shaw, 29, were charged with robbingthe ClinicPharmacy in Kentville.

It happened just around closing time over the noon hour.

The two were arrested later that day.

"They were remanded into custody until Sunday when they were remanded to the Burnside jail to appear this morning in court," said Const. Michael Goss for the Kentville Police.

Police say both of the accused were carrying weapons and Dowling wearing a mask.

According to police, the street value of the quantity of prescription drugsstolen Saturdayis about$29,000.

Kentville police say they're aware of nine prescription drug-related deaths in the area since January 2010, but there could be more.

Amy Graves lost her brother Josh one month ago after he took a lethal combination of Dilaudid and alcohol at a party.

She's since joined the group Annapolis Valley Fighting Addiction.

Graves said Dowling contacted her about three weeks before the robbery to say her doctor was refusing to fill her prescription for painkillers.

"She said that she was desperate, she went all over trying to find a new doctor to prescribe her pain, but after all this attention has been put on the subject people are timid to write prescriptions."

Graves said she had regular contact with Dowling and Graves was worried about her.

"I can't see why someone would sacrifice their children and their freedom unless they were in absolute desperation mode."

Both accused made brief appearances in court Tuesday.

They'll be held in custody until bail hearings laterthisweek.