Salem police on Friday arrested a man suspected of robbing another man in a downtown parking structure earlier this month.
Jeffery Prach, 19, was booked into Marion County Jail on charges of first-degree robbery, unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful possession of a weapon and first-degree theft. He was being held in custody without bail as of Friday afternoon, the jail’s roster showed.
Around 5:45 p.m. on Jan. 11, a “young man” reported to police that he had been robbed by a man he’d recently met at Salem Center Mall downtown, the Salem Police Department said in a statement.
The victim told police that he and the suspect were on the roof of Marion Parkade near the mall when the suspect pulled a gun out of his pocket, racked the slide and pointed it at the victim, “demanding the property he carried,” according to the statement.
Salem police detectives arrested Prach early Friday morning when officers saw him walking in the downtown area. He had a firearm on him when officers took him into custody.
Contact reporter Ardeshir Tabrizian: [email protected] or 503-929-3053.
SUBSCRIBE TO GET SALEM NEWS – We report on your community with care and depth, fairness and accuracy. Get local news that matters to you. Subscribe today to get our daily newsletters and more. Click I want to subscribe!
Ardeshir Tabrizian has covered criminal justice and housing for Salem Reporter since September 2021. As an Oregon native, his award-winning watchdog journalism has traversed the state. He has done reporting for The Oregonian, Eugene Weekly and Malheur Enterprise.