Greenville Police Department investigators discovered, investigated and solved a robbery that occurred Thursday morning in the span of an average work shift.

Lucky Baugh, a 35-year-old Greenville resident, has been charged with third-degree burglary, fourth-degree theft of property and second-degree criminal mischief following a burglary that occurred at the Dollar General located on Short Street in Greenville.

Just before 1 a.m. Thursday, officers were dispatched to a possible burglary in progress and observed that the establishment’s front-door glass had been broken out upon arriving at the scene.

Inside, it was discovered that the burglar had taken approximately $100 in cigarettes.

The litany of evidence left at the scene was ultimately the suspect’s undoing, said Greenville Police Department chief Justin Lovvorn.

“Our investigators were able to find some evidence at the scene, and also right outside the store,” Lovvorn said.

“They followed the evidence they had, and they knew the area it originated from.”

The multiple items of evidence collected at the scene were used to develop of suspect. “As we canvassed the neighborhood, we found things as we talked to people that led us to believe he could be in the area or inside the store,” Lovvorn said.

“Investigators located the suspect by 9 a.m. and brought him in for questioning.  After confronting him with the evidence collected at the scene, the suspect confessed to breaking into the store and stealing the cigarettes.”

Lovvorn said that the main reason for a timely arrest within an eight-hour timeframe is due not only to the evidence gathered at the scene, but also due to the investigators’ diligence.

“It wouldn’t have happened if the investigators hadn’t followed through with what they were doing,” he said. 

“If they’d just gotten the evidence, put it in the car, went home and sent it off to the lab, it would’ve been two months from now before we had a suspect to go get. But they followed through with what they had a hunch on, based on the evidence, and started looking.  Just on good police work, they were able to let the facts speak for themselves and then bring in the man to get the confession.”

Baugh is currently being held at the Butler County Jail.  Bond was set at $23,000.