Second time around, Salt Lake City cops nab Dollar Tree robber

Salt Lake City police say they were on hand when a gunman suspected in an earlier holdup showed up to rob a Dollar Tree store again.

Salt Lake City police Detective Cody Lougy said that employees of the store at 812 E. 200 South purportedly recognized the 21-year-old man as the same person who robbed them at gunpoint on May 6. They called 911.

Just before 9 p.m. Tuesday, officers approached the suspect — who allegedly had grabbed a bag of chips and gotten into line to make his approach to the clerk — and ended up wrestling him to the floor when he went for the handgun in his waistband.

"They got one handcuff on him and then the fight was on. When he reached into his waistband, they wrestled him down," Lougy said.

Police not only recovered a handgun, which proved to be stolen, but also an empty bag and a mask from the suspect.

The suspect was booked into Salt Lake County Jail, where he remained on Wednesday without bail on suspicion of felony counts of possession of a stolen firearm and aggravated robbery.

Third District Court records show that the same man was awaiting felony proceedings related to alleged production and sale of synthetic marijuana.

remims@sltrib.com

Twitter: @remims