Off-duty trooper foils W.Pa. convenience heist

NEW STANTON, Pa. (AP) — An off-duty state trooper is being credited with stopping a western Pennsylvania convenience store heist, and with solving a social club robbery allegedly committed by the same suspect last week.

State police in Greensburg say Trooper Josh Giran was off duty when he pulled into a parking lot across from a BP 7-11 convenience store in New Stanton on Wednesday night.

Police say Giran saw 20-year-old Nathan Grippo, of New Stanton, pull a mask over his face then follow a clerk into the store where he stole $107 at gunpoint. Police say the trooper pulled his weapon and confronted Grippo as he came out of the store and got him to surrender.

Police say Grippo will also be charged with robbing a nearby Moose lodge on Jan. 4.