Man Arrested at CVS in Nesconset with Stolen Prescription Pad

A St. James man was arrested for burglarizing a doctor’s office last November, after trying to fill false prescriptions at two local pharmacies on Friday, according to Suffolk Police.

Andre Machate, 41, entered the CVS Pharmacy, located on Terry Road in Smithtown at 2:46 p.m. and handed the pharmacist a prescription. The pharmacist questioned the authenticity of the prescription, and Machate grabbed the prescription out of the pharmacist’s hand and fled, police said.  

Machate then went to a nearby CVS Pharmacy on Smithtown Boulevard in Nesconset, to get his prescription filled. Fourth Precinct plain clothes Crime Section Officer Kevin O’Reilly responded to the Nesconset CVS and ascertained that Machate had just dropped off his prescription. Machate returned to the Nesconset CVS at approximately 4:30 p.m. and Officer O’Reilly placed him under arrest, police said.

Fourth Squad detectives recovered the forged prescription and a blank prescription pad. An investigation revealed the prescription pad was proceeds from a burglary that occured at a doctors office on Nov. 28, 2011, located on East Main St., in the Village of the Branch. In that burglary, Machate had smashed a glass window by the front door of the doctor’s office and stole the prescription pad.

Machate, of Lake Avenue in St. James, was charged with burglary third degree, forgery second degree, and criminal possession of stolen property fifth degree. He will be held overnight at the Fourth Precinct and is scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on February 18.

The investigation is continuing. Detectives are asking anyone with information to call the Fourth Squad at 631-854-8452 or anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.