Police are investigating the theft of many prescription medications from the Columbia Walgreens pharmacy following an early Wednesday morning break-in.

“They were in and out of there quick, probably less than three minutes,” Columbia Deputy Police Chief Jason Donjon said.

The incident occurred about 4:30 a.m. Columbia police responded to a burglar alarm sounding at Walgreens and arrived to see the front door of the business pried open. There were no suspects in sight upon police arrival, Donjon said.

Upon gaining entry through the main door of the business, located at 100 Admiral Weinel Boulevard, the suspect then broke through the locked pharmacy area and stole a large amount of opioids and controlled substances before exiting.

“He put them all in a bag and ran out,” Donjon said.

The Columbia Police Department has received assistance from a Monroe County Sheriff’s Department K-9 unit and Illinois State Police crime scene unit in its investigation of the incident.