Store Owner Nabs Robbery Suspect

A convenience store owner tracked down a robbery suspect after the store was held up Saturday morning.

Marc Bruning, 19, of Coeur d’Alene, was arrested by police officers after a 47-year-old store owner chased the robber from the Big Y Travel Plaza, at 2301 Sherman Ave., according to police reports.

Store clerks told police a man came into the store about 9:30 a.m. wearing a hat, clothing over his face and sunglasses.

He had a .32-caliber handgun and took an undisclosed amount of money. He was last seen riding a Schwinn mountain bike from the scene.

When police responded, they found Bruning being held by the store’s owner, Charles Owen, in the 200 block of 17th Street.

Owen told police he followed the robber in his pickup truck. When police arrived, Owen told them he had captured the robber and gave them the gun.

After being arrested, Bruning told police officers, “There’s nothing in (the gun). It hasn’t ever been loaded. I’m an idiot,” according to police reports.