Good Samaritans prevent cigarette robbery

A few Good Samaritans stopped an armed perpetrator from stealing a carton of cigarettes from the Shell gas station on Broadway in Eureka late Wednesday morning, detaining the suspect for about five minutes until police officer arrived to take him into custody.
After using the bathroom at the gas station, the suspect allegedly grabbed a carton of Camel cigarettes -- worth around $45 -- from behind the cashier's counter and tried to flee on foot.
Eureka resident Sean Grimes said he was purchasing a Rockstar energy drink at the counter, when he saw the suspect run by.
”I saw him running next to me with the carton of cigarettes and I just kind of slammed into him,” Grimes said, adding that other customers then quickly came to his aid, and helped detain the suspect.
Sitting in handcuffs in the back of a Eureka Police Department cruiser, the suspect identified himself to the Times-Standard as Jacob Brauning, and claimed the good Samaritans hit him and threatened him while holding him until police arrived on scene.
When officers searched Brauning, they found what officer Ed Wilson described as a kind of home-made “Black Jack,” which appeared to be a wood handle secured to a metal spring with a lead ball attached at the end. Witnesses said Brauning did not brandish the weapon during the robbery attempt.