Man acting ‘suspicious’ turns out to be alleged robber

A “vigilant” Middletown detective is being credited for detaining a man who allegedly robbed a local Dollar General at knife point Tuesday morning, according to the Butler County Sheriff’s Office.

A man entered the store at 2380 S. Main St. at about 11 a.m. and showed the clerk a knife, according to Rick Bucheit, Investigations Division Commander for the Butler County Sheriff’s Office.

The man left the store on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash, Bucheit said.

After the store clerk called the sheriff’s office, an alert was put out to neighboring police departments with the suspect’s description, according to Bucheit.

A short time later, Middletown Detective Tom McIntosh, noticed a man, later identified as Nathaniel Propas, 28, of Middletown, walking in the area and acting “suspicious,” Bucheit said.

Propas was detained, then transported to the Middletown police department where he was interviewed by the sheriff’s office.

“All the pieces fell into place,” Bucheit said.

Propas is charged with aggravated robbery, assault and theft. He was booked into the Middletown jail and will appear in court next week for a preliminary hearing.

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