Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Coheed And Cambria Bassist Arrested For Robbing Walgreens Before Opening For Soundgarden (He Needed His Oxycontin!)
By
Jen Carlson
Published Jul 11, 2011
Modified Jul 11, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Carlson
Published Jul 11, 2011
Modified Jul 11, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
New York (well, Nyack, NY) band Coheed and Cambria is getting some press today on account of their bassist robbing a Walgreens prior to their gig opening up for Soundgarden. This all went down yesterday at 1 p.m. prior to their show in Attleboro, Mass, when Michael Todd walked into the store, showed a pharmacist a cell phone note that said he had a bomb, and demanded Oxycontin. According to TMZ his plan nearly worked, he made off with six bottles of the painkiller and was whisked away by a cab.
Police tracked him down via a cab dispatcher, and found him at the Comcast Center, where he was presumably arriving for soundcheck, and to ingest massive quantities of the drug (which some call Oxycoffins). He was arrested, and is being held on $10,000 bail; he's been charged with armed robbery and unlawful possession of prescription narcotics.
The band has posted a statement to their fans via their website, saying Todd would be replaced by Wes Styles for the remaining tour dates, and that they "are surprised to say the least and will address the situation with Michael after the tour."
According to the #1 medical source on the web, Wikipedia, people experience "severe withdrawal symptoms if [they] discontinue oxycodone abruptly. Therefore therapy should be gradually discontinued rather than abruptly discontinued. People who use oxycodone in a hazardous or harmful fashion are at even higher risk of severe withdrawal symptoms as they tend to use higher than prescribed doses."
This is as good as an excuse as any to revisit Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun" video, which also pairs nicely with this weather we're having.
Tagged
arrest
coheed and cambria
drugs
oxycontin
soundgarden
walgreens
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
The hottest way to show you're an authentic New Yorker is… riding a Citi Bike?
Thanks to Dua Lipa, Kim Kardashian, Timothée Chalamet and more, the rideshare program is having a moment.
By
Lindsay Lee Wallace
Published Oct 8, 2026
Is NYC’s hottest attraction the free observation deck at 1 Centre Street?
If you're playing tourist in your own town, this is an in-demand option.
By
James Ramsay
Arts & Entertainment
Is NYC’s hottest attraction the free observation deck at 1 Centre Street?
If you're playing tourist in your own town, this is an in-demand option.
By
James Ramsay
What happens when NYC kids take lessons in rock music? Really good bands.
By
Jayson Greene
Inside a photographer's journey to visit every neighborhood in New York City
By
Sonia Rao
Banned books and Winnie the Pooh: October in NYC libraries
By
Alec Hamilton
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .