GREENVILLE — A Piqua man sought in connection with robberies in Greenville and Piqua is in custody.
Eric D. Higgins Jr., 28, was arrested by Piqua police officers Tuesday afternoon. In addition to robbing the Speedway gas station, 201 Wagner Avenue in Greenville early Sunday morning, Higgins is also suspected of an earlier robbery incident at the Covington Avenue Kroger store in Piqua on Feb. 6.
According to the Piqua Daily Call, Higgins was located hiding inside a cabinet at his girlfriend’s residence and taken into custody without incident. He was later questioned by detectives from both the Piqua and Greenville Police Departments.
Deputy Piqua Police Chief Marty Grove said that shortly after midnight on the Feb. 6, a male subject entered the Kroger store and passed a note to an employee “demanding money and if she did not cooperate, she could be shot.”
“Detectives investigated, followed up some tips from the general public and other leads,” said Grove, “and that led to the arrest of Mr. Higgins.”
Higgins was transported to the Miami County Jail where he is currently being held. He was arraigned Wednesday morning in Miami County Municipal Court on a first-degree felony charge of aggravated robbery in connection with the Kroger robbery. Bond was set at $150,000. A preliminary hearing before Judge Elizabeth S. Gutmann is scheduled for March 1.
Further charges in connection to the Speedway robbery may be forthcoming by Greenville police.
