Lynn man admits to stealing $10G in cancer medication

LYNN – A Lynn man was arrested in Swampscott on Dec. 28 for allegedly stealing a FedEx box with almost $10,000 worth of chemotherapy medication in it from a New Ocean Street porch in broad daylight, according to a Swampscott police report.Robert Heres, 31, of 7 Phillips Ave., was arraigned on Dec. 29 in Lynn District Court on charges of larceny over $250 and larceny of a controlled substance. Heres had been arrested previously in Lynn on Nov. 20 on a domestic assault and battery charge, and was awaiting another January court date at the time of his arrest in Swampscott. He was denied bail as a result.According to a report filed by Patrolman Michael Serino, a witness told police that he watched Heres steal a FedEx box off a New Ocean Street porch at about 4:15 p.m., open it and put the contents under his sweatshirt. The witness followed Heres to the Swampscott Public Library and waited for officers to arrive.Officers found Heres in the library and he admitted to stealing the box, which contained a vile of 45 400mg Gleevec pills, a drug used for chemotherapy treatment. The vile was recovered from his sweatshirt pocket.A Swampscott pharmacist told police the pills were worth about $9,995.At his arraignment, Judge Albert Conlon ordered Heres held on $1,000 cash, $10,000 personal surety and on the condition that he stay away from and have no contact with the alleged victim.He is scheduled to return to court on Jan. 10 for a pretrial hearing.Taylor Provost can be reached at [email protected].