WATCH: Police cruiser hits man suspected in pharmacy robbery

ALEXANDER COUNTY, N.C. — Police said an officer's cruiser hit a man who was running away from a pharmacy he robbed.
                               
Police said they arrived at the pharmacy within 30 seconds, just as the thief came out of the drive-through window.
 
Investigators released dashcam video earlier Tuesday morning. It showed a man as he was hit by the patrol car as the officer arrived in the parking lot of People Pharmacy in Taylorsville early Saturday morning. 
            
The business also has several surveillance cameras that captured the crime.

The officer chased the thief through a yard before he jumped a fence and took off, possibly in an SUV. The police chief said the officer thought the burglar had a gun in his hand. Instead it was the screwdriver used to break into the business. The man, who was dazed by the impact, ran off and is still on the loose this midday. 

Police believe the thief was after pain medication but couldn't find any in the pharmacy because the owner has taken precautions after other break-ins.

Owner Phil Icard said the thief was after pain medication but couldn't find them. 

"We're making a lot of changes (by) putting the medications away where they can't be found,"Icard said. "I've done everything I can possibly do to keep these things from happening."

"A lot of our break-ins and armed robberies are coming back do prescription drugs," said Taylorsville Police Chief Dennis James.

Investigators said they believe the person struck here was also responsible for a second break-in in May. 

Anyone with information on the case can call Alexander County Crimestoppers.

WSOC