Robert Hopkins, Pharmacy Heist Conspiracy, PA 2023

Robert Hopkins, 26, and William Limper, 43, both of Philadelphia, PA, have been slammed with a combined 24-plus years behind bars for orchestrating one of the most brazen pharmacy burglary sprees in recent Delaware Valley history. Hopkins was sentenced to eight years and one month, while Limper received 16 years and four months in federal prison after pleading guilty to a string of charges tied to 49 break-ins at pharmacies across Philadelphia and its suburbs between November 2014 and April 2019.

The two men, alongside co-conspirators Raul Rivera and Michael Dombrowski—both also of Philadelphia—forced entry into drugstores under cover of darkness using crow bars and Halligan bars, tools typically reserved for law enforcement and firefighters. Dressed in masks and layers to hide their identities, the crew monitored police radio traffic with scanners and communicated via two-way radios during their raids, striking with military precision and vanishing before first responders could arrive.

Inside, they targeted one thing: Schedule II opioids like oxycodone and Percocet. Their motive wasn’t personal use—it was profit. Each stolen batch was split among the crew and funneled into the street trade, feeding the region’s deadly opioid epidemic while padding their pockets. The operation ran for nearly five years, a relentless cycle of theft, distribution, and concealment that terrorized small business owners and poisoned communities.

To stay ahead of the law, the burglars used stolen Jeep Grand Cherokee SRTs—high-powered SUVs ideal for rapid getaways. When not in use, the vehicles were stashed in a commercial storage lot along with burglary tools and disguise gear. The level of planning revealed during the investigation painted a picture of a tight-knit, disciplined criminal cell operating in plain sight.

Hopkins pleaded guilty in March 2021 to conspiracy to commit pharmacy burglary, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and multiple counts of burglary and attempted burglary. Limper followed in June 2021, admitting to similar charges, including possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime—a charge that carried mandatory time. Both will face supervised release—three years for Hopkins, five for Limper—after their prison terms.

“Limper, Hopkins and their co-conspirators were able to carry out their years-long burglary spree using careful, calculated tactics,” said U.S. Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams. FBI Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire called them a “crime wave unto themselves.” With Rivera and Dombrowski awaiting sentencing, law enforcement declares the ring dismantled—but the damage from nearly 50 pharmacy hits will linger for years.

RELATED: Hopkins, Limper Get 24+ Years for 49 Pharmacy Heists