Santa Cruz Police Chief Kevin Vogel stopped an armed man suspected of making threats to grocers Thursday morning as the man came out of Trader Joe's market downtown.
Vogel had been in uniform driving a patrol car, when a call came in about an armed man in New Leaf Community Market downtown claiming he had a gun and was coming back to shoot people.
The chief spotted a man who matched the description coming out of Trader Joe's on the 700 block of Front Street. Vogel grabbed the man and had him in custody within seconds, according to a Santa Cruz Police blog report.
The man had a .32 caliber handgun in his pocket.
The suspect is Don Lane, 63, (no relation to the city councilman of the same name). He was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail on suspicion of having a loaded handgun and making threats to store employees.
He was angry at the vegetable prices at New Leaf and went to Trader Joe's to see if it was less expensive, Vogel said.
"I just happened to be in the right place at the right time and responded like any other Santa Cruz Police Officer would have," said Vogel. "Despite my position within this organization, I am and always will be a street cop at heart."
The last time he arrested someone was Halloween, 2011, when he stopped a man for being drunk in public.
Lane didn't struggle, Vogel said. He stopped him inside the store and escorted him out. The gun was found when officers patted him down.
(Thanks, Chief, for helping keep us safe.)