It didn’t take long for the long arm of the law to reach out and grab its suspect.

Thanks to tips from the public, the Ironton Police Department was able to track down the suspected bank robber who allegedly held up the PNC Bank on Tuesday.

Michael Wayne Crager, 38, of 3861 State Route 218, Gallipolis, was arrested without incident at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday at 24 Private Drive 1699, Ironton.

“The police department received tips from the community that the suspect may have been Michael Crager,” Joe Ross, Ironton police detective, said. “While we were gathering more information about what was going on, we learned that he was involved in the WesBanco incident.”

At that time, Ross said his department contacted the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department. The Lawrence County Drug and Major Crime Task Force also assisted.

Crager allegedly admitted to detectives that he had committed the Ironton bank robbery. Because the methods were similar between the Ironton robbery and the bank robbery that occurred at the WesBanco on Solida Road in South Point on June 23, detectives suspected the same person had committed both crimes.

According to law enforcement officials, Crager allegedly admitted to committing the South Point robbery as well during questioning. Crager allegedly said he had committed these robberies to support a drug habit.

Ross thanked the public for coming forward with information after the suspect’s photo hit social media.

“This has been a really good thing from the community,” Ross said, “We couldn’t have solved this without the tips from the community and the joint assistance from the other agencies involved.”

Crager will be arraigned today in the Ironton Municipal Court for the Ironton robbery and on Friday in the Lawrence County Municipal Court for the South Point robbery.