Men Attempt to Steal $16,000 Worth of Weight Loss Drugs from Delivery Driver Outside Pharmacy

Two men and a 17-year-old were arrested after authorities say they stole a shipment of GLP-1 weight-loss medications during a delivery to a pharmacy in suburban Philadelphia.

Police in Bensalem, Pa., said the robbery happened Thursday, Jan. 15, outside Smart Choice Pharmacy. Investigators allege the three suspects confronted and assaulted a delivery driver as he dropped off medication.

According to police, the suspects took two boxes containing GLP-1 drugs — including Mounjaro, Ozempic and Trulicity — with an estimated value of about $16,000. Officers said the group then fled in a gold Toyota, nearly hitting a witness who was trying to record what happened.

After an alert was broadcast to nearby agencies, Bensalem Township Police stopped the Toyota roughly two miles from the pharmacy, investigators said. The delivery driver later identified the three occupants as the alleged attackers.

Authorities identified the suspects as Joshua Dupree, 41, of Tamaqua, Pennsylvania; Jahnoi Dawkins, 21, of Albany, New York; and a 17-year-old boy from New York City, police said.

Investigators also believe the incident may have been planned. Police said the suspects traveled from New York City — about 80 miles away — and pharmacy staff reported receiving suspicious phone calls and emails in the days before the robbery, including requests for details about the delivery order.

Bensalem Public Safety Director Bill McVey said the delivery driver was thrown to the ground during the incident.

“Thank God the person is okay,” McVey told 6ABC Philadelphia.

The suspects are facing multiple charges, including robbery, theft, receiving stolen property and simple assault, police said.

Speaking with CBS Philadelphia and 6ABC, pharmacist Jigar Patel said he had no warning anything was about to happen.

“Thank God no gunshots or anything like that were involved, but no, there was nothing that came out to us for us to suppose that, ‘Hey, there’s something going on.’ I hope it never ever happens again,” Patel told 6ABC.

Patel also pointed to the high cost of GLP-1 medications, which can run more than $1,000 per month without insurance coverage.

“Not everyone can get their hands on it,” he told CBS Philadelphia. “These are $1,000 drugs. For anyone that’s not easily able to pay for it, this becomes an alternate route.”

McVey said the pharmacy has already changed how it handles medication deliveries and confirmed the stolen drugs were returned. He also urged pharmacies to treat calls about delivery schedules as a potential warning sign.

“If someone’s making phone calls asking about when deliveries are coming, possibly notify your police department,” McVey told CBS Philadelphia. “Make sure the parking lot’s clear before you’re accepting $16,000 worth of product or more. That has value to some people, and criminals will find it.”