This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Salt Lake City police subdued and arrested a man moments after he allegedly tried to rob an eastside Big Lots store at knifepoint late Thursday morning.
SLCPD Sgt. Robin Heiden said the 59-year-old suspect, believed to be a transient, walked into the store at 300 E. 200 South about 10:15 a.m. After picking up a large kitchen knife from one of the aisles, he went to the female clerk and, brandishing the weapon, demanded money.
The store's male manager was standing nearby and immediately got on the phone to call 911, providing responding officers a full description of the suspect even as the attempted robbery took place.
Then, moments later, the suspect laid the knife down on the counter for a moment and the manager quickly grabbed it.
Seconds later, police officers came through the doors and arrested the suspect without further incident.
The manager was declining to be interviewed, but Heiden credited him with both keeping the incident from potentially becoming violent, and quickly contacting police.
The suspect was booked into Salt Lake County jail on an aggravated robbery charge.
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