BUTLER TWP — A township man claimed he was only joking Monday night when he showed a customer outside the Walmart store what appeared to be a handgun and demanded money.

Butler Township police aren’t laughing.

They arrested the suspect, 30-year-old Keel E. Welch II, on a list of charges including robbery. He is being held in the Butler County Prison on $50,000 bail.

Police were called to the store at the Butler Commons shopping plaza about 11:40 p.m. after the alleged victim reported what he believed to be a stickup in the parking lot near the grocery side entrance.

The man, who police did not identify, said he was loading groceries into the back of his car when the unknown suspect approached him.

The stranger opened his jacket and showed the victim that he was holding a dark-colored handgun.

The suspect asked, “Does it look real?” Police said he then told the customer, “Give me all your money.”

When the victim insisted he had no money, the robber patted him down to make sure.

After finding no money, said Butler Township police Lt. Matthew Pearson, the suspect told the other man that what just happened was a joke.

But after the suspect left, the victim, who was not injured, went to a nearby store and called 911.

Police got there and within minutes spotted the suspect, who they identified as Welch, sitting in a vehicle in the parking lot.

In the car they found at least four guns, which all turned out to be BB guns.

“They looked real,” Pearson said.

Welch claimed he thought the victim was someone he knew and that he was only playing a joke on him.

Police weren’t buying his story and they arrested Welch, who was arraigned on charges of robbery, attempted robbery, terroristic threats, simple assault, harassment and disorderly conduct.

This was not Welch’s first brush with the law. He already has felony convictions on his criminal record.

And just last month, Butler Township police arrested him on charges he stole a 9 mm pistol from an Old Plank Estates apartment that he was visiting Nov. 6.

He allegedly tried to trade the gun for drugs, according to court documents, before returning it to the owner.

Welch in that case is charged with illegal possession of a firearm, carrying a firearm without a concealed carry license and receiving stolen property.

While awaiting trial in that case, court records showed, he was free on his own recognizance, prior to being arrested Monday on the latest charges.