Suspect in Keizer Walgreen's Armed Robberies Arrested

A series of armed robberies in Keizer have left clerks shaken and kept police investigators busy over the past two months; the payoff came Saturday with the arrest of a man believed to be responsible for all four incidents...

Surveillance photo of suspect in the most recent Keizer Walgreen's armed robbery Photo: Keizer Police

(Keizer) - Police have arrested a Mill City man that they say is connected to a string of armed robberies which began last December. Three of the incidents were armed robberies at Walgreen`s Pharmacy stores. Two were at the Keizer location, one happened at the Walgreen`s on Lancaster Drive in Salem. A person believed to be the same suspect also robbed the Blockbuster Video, at 5402 River Road North in Keizer.

The Keizer Police Department have been actively investigating this series of armed robberies that began on December 13th : December 13, 2005 10:06 PM
Walgreen`s Pharmacy
5000 River Road North, Keizer

December 25, 2005 12:09 AM
Walgreen`s Pharmacy
1992 Lancaster Drive NE, Salem

January 15, 2006 9:19 PM
Walgreen`s Pharmacy
5000 River Road, North Keizer

February 5, 2006 10:09 PM
Blockbuster Video
5402 River Road North, Keizer

Salem Police became involved in the investigation when the second Walgreen`s robbery occurred on 1992 Lancaster Drive NE in Salem December 25th. Until now, police did not publicly connect the Keizer and Salem Walgreen`s armed robberies.

Keizer Police Lt. Jeff Kuhns says the suspect, 47-year old Donald Charles Ward Jr., was identified during the course of the follow-up investigations, `He has been positively identified as the perpetrator of all four of these criminal incidents. Donald Ward is a convicted felon who was released from the custody of the Oregon Department of Corrections in July of 2005 after apparently serving the majority of his time in prison in Arizona." Kuhns says Ward has an extensive criminal history, including robbery, which dates back several years.

After determining that Donald Ward was residing in Mill City, the Keizer Police Community Response Unit and Detective Unit went to Mill City to take Donald Ward into custody for the alleged crimes.

At about 10:45 AM, Kuhns says these officers conducting surveillance in Mill City made a positive ID of Donald Ward at 881 S. 1st Street. Ward was observed getting into a vehicle and driving a short distance to Girods Hilltop Select Market where he parked his car.

That`s when Keizer officers made their move and took him into custody, without a fight.

Donald Ward has been arrested for four (4) counts of First Degree Robbery, four (4) counts Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and four (4) counts of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm. These crimes have a total bail amount of $220,000. Additional charges may be forthcoming. Ward was transported to the Marion County Correctional Facility.