By By BEN RAYMOND LODE / Niles Daily Star
NILES -- Niles Township Police officers were called to the Tractor Supply Company at 2125 S. 11th St. on a report of an armed robbery Wednesday.
A press release issued by the township police department said police were notified about the incident at approximately 8:50 p.m.
The press release said it's currently unknown whether the robbery is connected with the string of robberies that have taken place in the area over the last several months.
Employees of the store reported that two black males entered the store as regular customers before they placed what was believed to be a handgun to the back of one of the employees.
The employees were then allegedly forced to the main office of the store where a large amount of money was taken from a safe.
The employees were then tied up before the suspects fled the store in a small tan vehicle.
No one was injured during the incident.
Approximately 10 to 15 minutes elapsed from the time the incident took place and the employees were able to free themselves.
Citizens are asked to report any and all suspicious activities to their local police departments.
Anyone who may have been in the area at the time that incident took place are asked to contact the Niles Township Police Department at (269) 683-1780.
In other police reports:
Darius Allen Hertsel, 21, 106 E. Prairie Road, Dowagiac, was arrested after officers approached a vehicle that was parked on Fourth and Sycamore streets with a broken tail light, the police report said.
Having made contact with Hertsel, the officers decided to search the vehicle.
The officers allegedly found a small .22-caliber semi automatic handgun in the trunk of the vehicle.
Hertsel was arrested and transported to the Niles City Police Department where he was lodged on the charge mentioned above.
The handgun was allegedly found to be stolen from a home in Dowagiac.
Corey Michael Barnes, 18, 309 S. Ninth St., Chesterton, Ind., was arrested after a police officer observed a vehicle parked sideways in the drive through of Burger King on South Eleventh Street while the vehicle was still running, the police report said.
The driver was allegedly passed out behind the wheel.
Barnes was arrested and transported to the Niles City Police Department where he was booked and lodged for six hours with a $300 bond.
Joey Brian Williams, 39, 8 Maramont St., Niles, was arrested after officers arrived at Seventh Street and observed a suspicious vehicle with a defective break light, the police report said.
The officers made contact with the driver who identified himself as Joey Williams.
Police did a check on Williams and found out he was suspended from driving in Michigan.
Williams was arrested and transported to Niles City Police Department where he was booked and lodged with a $100.