Alleged robber nabbed within minutes of theft

MINDEN -- A Minden man accused of robbing a convenience store at gunpoint will appear for an arraignment this morning in East Fork Justice Court.

Michael Adam Smith, 19, of the Johnson Lane area, was arrested at 5:05 a.m. Monday when officers responded to an AM-PM Mini Market near the junction of highways 395 and 88 after a report that a masked man with a shotgun had robbed the store of an undisclosed amount of cash.

Within minutes of the call to 911, the suspected bandit was in custody, said Sgt. Lance Modispacher of the Douglas County Sheriff's Department.

"We're pretty proud of (the deputies)," Modispacher said. "In one minute and 23 seconds, they had him in custody."

Deputies who responded saw a vehicle quickly leaving a business complex just south of the AM-PM, said Lt. Mike Biaggini.

When they stopped the vehicle, deputies saw a shotgun in the back seat and a mask in the passenger seat, Modispacher said.

Smith was booked into the Douglas County Jail on suspicion of felony armed robbery with the use of a deadly weapon. His bail was set at $100,000.