State police capture alleged armed robber
State police Wednesday nabbed a suspect wanted in the alleged armed robbery of a woman at her Butler home a day earlier.
Troopers arrested 29-year-old Steven Spare without incident about 3 p.m. at a house in Bruin, authorities said.
Spare was later turned over to Butler police, who obtained an arrest warrant for him following the suspected home invasion in the city.
The defendant, whose last known address was in Summit Township, was arraigned on charges of robbery, burglary and receiving stolen property and placed in the Butler County Prison on $100,000 bail.
He also is being held on a detainer for a state parole violation.
Butler police suspect Spare forced his way into a house in the 500 block of West Diamond Street shortly before 10 a.m. Tuesday after the woman who lives there unknowingly opened the door for him.
The 31-year-old woman told officers the man had a gun but she could not identify it, said Butler Police Capt. David Dalcamo. She was not hurt.
The robber stole her purse and left.
Police believe Spare gave a credit card from the purse to Witt Yost Jr., 23, of Butler. Yost later used the card at three stores in Butler Township.
The suspected criminal spending spree led police to Yost, who identified Spare for investigators.
Troopers familiar with Spare from previous contacts with him on Wednesday morning stopped by a house in Bruin that he was known to frequent, authorities said.
Later that afternoon, troopers returned and found him at the same house with an unidentified woman. Police said they did not find Spare with a gun.
He was booked at the county jail about 6:30 p.m.
Yost, meanwhile, also is being held there on $100,000 bail. He is charged with forgery, access device fraud and receiving stolen property.
