Middletown man indicted for three ‘rare’ armed robberies on the same day

A Butler County grand jury on Wednesday indicted a Middletown man on seven charges that stemmed from three alleged armed robberies on the same day.

Andre Christopher Pruden, 25, of Yankee Road was indicted on three charges of aggravated robbery (deadly weapon)/repeat violent offender/brandished firearm - prior conviction; having weapons under disability/brandished firearm - prior conviction; and single charges of improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle; possession of cocaine/firearm possession during commission of a crime - prior conviction; and discharge of a firearm on or near prohibited premises.

The grand jury declined to indict Pruden on three other charges.

Pruden is being held in the Butler County Jail without bond for violating parole.

Police alleged Pruden robbed a woman at gunpoint about 7 p.m. Feb. 10 in the 700 block of Vancouver Street.

Less than an hour later, in the 1800 block of Casper Street, two people had just arrived home when Pruden allegedly came to a stop in his pickup truck next to their vehicle. Police said Pruden, who was wearing a mask, got out of his truck and followed the people into their front yard, where he pointed a gun at them and demanded money.

Later in the evening, another robbery was reported just before 9 p.m. in the 300 block of Stanley Street where Pruden allegedly used a handgun to rob a woman who had gone out to her car. She provided police with a partial license plate number.

Police located the truck in the 2000 block of Central Avenue and made the stop on North Avenue where the driver was arrested and taken into custody.

“By the third robbery, officers already had a good idea of his description, truck and gun and were looking for him,” said Police Maj. Scott Reeve. “All of the robberies were random. It’s rare for a guy to do three robberies in a row on the same day.”

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