SPRINGVALE — A sharp-eyed witness saw a man leave the Rite Aid pharmacy around noon Sunday, run across the street and get into a silver sport utility that sped away. The witness was driving ahead of the suspect vehicle, but managed to get a license plate number and told police the vehicle headed out on Route 202 toward Lebanon.

The individual was a “great witness who did the right thing,” said Police Chief Thomas Connolly.

The witness’s sharp eye, combined with tenacious police work, led to the arrests of four suspects in connection with the pharmacy robberies at the Springvale Rite Aid and the earlier hold-up Sunday at the Walgreen’s in Rochester, N.H.

Police in both Sanford and Rochester had an early inkling that the two robberies might be connected and worked together to solve the crimes.

Taken in the Sanford robbery were a variety of oxycodone pills ”“ a legal drug prescribed by physicians for pain associated with cancer or other serious illnesses.

Increasingly, however, oxycodone and other prescription drugs like it are favored by illegal drug users. In a recent report, Maine stood out as the state with the most number of people addicted to prescription painkillers seeking treatment in the country. According to the Associated Press, statistics released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration showed Maine had 386 admissions for addiction to prescription painkillers per 100,000 residents, with Vermont coming in second with 331 per 100,000 residents. The national rate is 45, and the New England rate is 131.

Connolly said a lone man walked into the Rite Aid pharmacy around noon Sunday and asked for OxyContin by name.

“He said, ”˜Give me a big bottle of Oxy. I have a gun,’” Connolly said.

The man was given a variety of dosages of the drug, ranging from 10 milligrams to 80 milligrams.

Although the man’s face was covered, police took note of the clothing he was wearing, as shown in the video surveillance camera footage.

They also ran the license plate and learned where the owner of the car was living. The owner of the car, Kerri Guay, had reported her car stolen, but said it was later returned ”“ the woman allegedly told police she knew it had been stolen because it had been moved from its usual spot, Connolly said.

Police applied for search warrants for an address in Rochester, N.H. and two people were taken into custody late Wednesday.

At the same time, Connolly said, another person came forward to police who claimed to have been present when the robberies were being planned.

Early Thursday morning, police in Dover, N.H. arrested two more individuals in connection with the robberies.

Arrested were Scott Sanborn, a 25-year-old transient, Seth Gagne, 24, of East Rochester, N.H., Guay of East Rochester, N.H. and Jolene Leo, 22, of Dover, N.H., according to police. The four face a variety of charges in connection with the robberies.

— Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 or twells@journaltribune.com.