Customers detain armed shoplifter at San Mateo 7-Eleven
San Mateo police arrested a 19-year-old man Sunday evening after he allegedly pulled a knife on a store clerk while shoplifting and was held down by customers.
At 8:07 p.m., police were dispatched to the 7-Eleven in the 600 block of East Third Avenue for a report of an armed robbery.
Employees told officers a man was stealing alcohol from the store and when employees went to detain him and retrieve the stolen wine, he brandished a knife at them and punched one of the clerks.
A customer intervened and they were able to disarm the suspect and hold him until officers arrived.
Police searched the suspect and allegedly located drug paraphernalia and suspected methamphetamine.
After being medically cleared, the suspect was transported to San Mateo County Jail and booked on suspicion of robbery, possessing drug paraphernalia, and possessing a controlled substance.
