Officers are investigating after four robberies were reported at pharmacies during a four-hour period on Tuesday afternoon in the East Kildonan area.
Rosemarie Concepcion works at one of the pharmacies where a suspect entered on Tuesday.
She says he approached the counter, hiding his hands and demanding the drug OxyContin.
"I thought he had a gun or maybe a knife," said Concepcion.
She said the suspect appeared angry and desperate, before he ran from the store.
"It's kind of scary because you don't know what they're thinking," she said.
Three other pharmacies in the area were hit that day.
Pharmacists who spoke to CTV News gave the same suspect description – a man in his early twenties with a brown hoodie and a neckwarmer covering his face.
Police wouldn't say Wednesday if they believe the robberies are connected.
The Manitoba Pharmaceutical Association believes they are related. The organization has reported 10 robberies or attempted robberies in December and they believe those are largely the work of one person.
Some pharmacies have stopped carrying OxyContin altogether. Some suspects, however, have been demanding morphine or other strong pain killers if no OxyContin is available.
Police continue to investigate the series of robberies.
- with a report from CTV's Jeremy Hunka
