Dangling keys lead to drug arrest

An Upper Darby man was so high on some of the $400,000 in prescription drugs he allegedly stole from a pharmacy last week that he passed out for days, leaving the drugs in his car trunk and his keys dangling from the trunk lock, police said yesterday.

A vigilant neighbor, concerned about the unattended car, called police on Friday. In the trunk, officers found a stash of pills and liquids, uppers and downers, many of which were inside a gym bag that had the alleged thief's name and phone number on it, according to court documents.

"Score one for the Upper Darby Police versus stupidity," said police Superintendent Michael Chitwood, who dubbed the arrest "Operation: Dumb or Dumber."

Thomas Ferkler, 43, of Hartley Road near McKinley Avenue, was arrested Friday, just three days after he allegedly broke into the Corus Pharmacy, on West Chester Pike near Kenmore Road, Upper Darby, through a rooftop air-conditioning unit, court documents said.

Ferkler allegedly cut all security and surveillance wires to the store, then waited a half-hour before entering to see if police would respond. He allegedly wore a ski mask and carried a walkie-talkie that was set to the Upper Darby police radio signal, Chitwood said.

"This guy was very, very sophisticated," Upper Darby Capt. George Rhoades said. "He was just stupid."

Aside from the $400,000 mound of prescription pills, powders and liquid medications - including oxycodone, Percocet and fentanyl - Ferkler also allegedly stole an undisclosed amount of cash from the store, according to Rhoades and court documents.

Police had few leads on the crime until the phone call came from Hartley's neighbor, who had noticed the green Honda EX with the keys in the trunk parked on their street for days, Chitwood said.

Along with the drugs, police found crowbars and diagrams of the pharmacy in the trunk, Chitwood said.

After police executed a warrant on the vehicle, they went to Ferkler's home with a warrant, but the intricate and industrial lock on Ferkler's door prohibited police, who were equipped with a ramrod and sledgehammer, from entering.

"The burglar was burglar-proof," Chitwood said. "I mean, I asked him where he got the lock, because I want one."

Police eventually were let into the house by Ferkler, who subsequently was charged with numerous crimes including burglary, theft and violations of the Health and Safety Act. He was held on 10 percent of $100,000 bail.

Upon his arrest, police discovered that Ferkler, who has a history of burglary convictions, was out on signature bail for a recent motor-vehicle-theft case in Philadelphia, Chitwood said.

Police are looking into the possibility that Ferkler was involved in other pharmacy burglaries in Delaware County and at possible co-conspirators in the Corus burglary.

Ferkler, a construction worker, is believed to live alone. Cops said his girlfriend died of a drug overdose in his house last year.