A patient was charged with stealing narcotics from his physician's office Tuesday.

Auburn police charged Jeremy L. Chetney, 27, of 64 E. Genesee St., Apartment 2, with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and petit larceny at 11:25 a.m. Chetney is accused of taking 10 vials of the potent painkiller Demerol from an examination room in the office of Dr. David Locastro, 134 North St., Auburn.

The medication had been left briefly unsecured in a safe. Police said nine of the 50-milligram vials were recovered, with Chetney admitting to consuming one of them.

He was arrested at his residence, where police said Chetney told detectives he was afraid of pain that could result from the procedure he underwent at Locastro's office.

Chetney was arraigned and released. He was due back in Auburn City Court Wednesday.