BIDDEFORD — A hoax phone call didn’t fool Biddeford Police officers.

Their alertness and initiative led to the expeditious arrest of a man who allegedly made off with prescription drugs from the CVS pharmacy at Five Points in Biddeford on Monday, said Police Chief Roger Beaupre.

Kyle Desmarais, 28, of 4 John St. in Biddeford, was arrested early this morning, at approximately 2 a.m., and charged with Class A robbery.

Desmarais tried to throw police off his trail when at about 9:30 p.m. on Monday, he allegedly called in a report, using the name of Christopher Allen, saying that he saw two men put two females in a white van near the University of New England Biddeford campus, said Beaupre.

After investigation, Beaupre said that call was found to be a hoax, used as an attempted diversion to cause police officers to be sent miles away from CVS.

However, an alert police supervisor, said Beaupre, thought the call was suspicious and only sent one police cruiser to investigate that call, keeping the others on their regular routes.

When a call came into the station approximately 20 minutes later that a robbery had occurred at CVS, officers were available to respond, he said.

A man stole 300 tablets of oxycontin from a CVS pharmacist after displaying what appeared to be a hand gun, said Beaupre.

Meanwhile, said the police chief, a police dispatcher took the initiative and investigated the phone number used to make the call about an abduction near UNE.

That call, said Beaupre, was traced back to a plumbing and heating business in Las Vegas, Nev. where Desmarais had reportedly worked and been fired for stealing from the business.

Someone from the Las Vegas business told police Desmarais’ name and that he was from Biddeford.

Beaupre said that his department got in touch with Desmarais’ family, who told officers he was staying at Dallaire’s Motel & Cottages in Biddeford.

When police arrived, Desmarais attempted to flee from the back door where he was met by an armed officer, said Beaupre.

Desmarais was arrested at approximately 2 a.m.

All but 20 of the 300 oxycotin tablets were recovered in Desmarais’ possession, said Beaupre.

A plastic black revolver was also recovered.

While being questioned, Desmarais confessed to the hoax call regarding an abduction at UNE and the robbery at CVS, said Beaupre.

The chief complemented his department on their work.

“Everyone did a fantastic job,” said Beaupre. “From the supervisor who was alert to send only one cruiser to UNE, the dispatcher who took the initiative and the guys who succeeded in tracing the family history.”

Even Desmarais complemented the officers on their work, said Beaupre. He said Desmarais said he didn’t expect to be arrested so quickly.

“It’s certainly not often to get kudos from the person you’ve arrested,” said Beaupre.

— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 324 or dmendros@journaltribune.com.