Crime & Safety

He Was Packing Heat In A Garbage Bag

A mysterious man catches some Rancho Santa Margarita residents off guard.

A man in a Rancho Santa Margarita parking lot caused some anxious moments for those who happened to see him.

An informant  contacted the Orange County Sheriff Department on Saturday and told the 9-1-1 operator about a man with long sandy blond hair in front of the Rite-Aid pharmacy.

According to the caller, the man had a dog on a leash and was carrying a rifle in a garbage bag.

Find out what's happening in Rancho Santa Margaritawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The man apparently disappeared as he walked through the Ralphs parking lot, and deputies couldn't find anything by the lake.

About 12 minutes after the 3:26 p.m. call, which was made from the corner of Santa Margarita Parkway and Antonio, deputies were able to track down the rifle-toting dog lover in the parking lot.

Find out what's happening in Rancho Santa Margaritawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

It was a toy gun.

This report was culled from the Orange County Sheriff's website. Not all facts in each report are made public; the outcome of the report may differ from the original blotter item. There should be no assumption of guilt based on this limited information.


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