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Altoona officer dressed as Santa Claus apprehends thief Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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WEBVTT THE MENARDS IN ALTOONA, THAT IT ALL STARTED. A MAN STOLE A PAINTSPRAYER AND THEN DECIDED TO RUN FROM POLICE. IT WAS THEN THAT AN ALTOONA POLICE OFFICER DRESSED UP AS SANTA CLAUS INTERVENED.> Altoona police officer Joe Meola,is known as "officer friendly." <SANTA WALKS, KIDS CHEER.> But this year -he's dressed up as Santavisiting local malls &elementary schools. <AND APARTRIDGE IN A PAIR TREE!>Friday - he was greeted by thekids - at Clay, Elementary. <TAKE NATS, SANTA MOBBED.> He's got the hat, and the patches, to pull itoff. But, make no mistake...Meola, is still on- duty! So, on Tuesday afternoon, when he overheard a call about a theifrunning through a wooded area right by him... he sprung intoaction. <SO I HOPPEDTHE CURB, DROVE THROUGH THE FIELD. THREW THE CAR IN PARK, SLAMMED THE DOOR, AND YELLED FORHIM TO GET DOWN.> <GET ON THE GROUND!><SO I RAN THROUGH THE WOODS, THE CREEK, ONTO THE OTHER BANK, CAUGHT UPWITH HIM.> And, after a 400-yard chase... Meola caught 26-year-old Austen Lyons of DesMoines. <TOOK HIM TOTHE GROUND, PUT HIM INHANDCUFFS.> Lyons was arrestedfor 3rd-degree shoplifting andresisting arrest, after he stolea $248 paint-sprayer from Menard's. It's the third time Lyons has been arrested - for theft alone. Meola says the costume - slowed Lyons down.<I THINK IF ITWASN'T FOR THAT DOUBLE- LOOK, HEWOULD'VE GOTTEN AWAY. SANTA'S NOT FAST, YOU KNOW.> The police report reads... Meola could beidentified by his ... "bellylike a bowl full of jelly." Even Meola, can't believe Santa Claus... chased down ashoplifter. <I COULD SEE IT IN A COMEDY MOVIE. I JUST HAPPENED TO BE AT THE RIGHT PLACE, AT THE RIGHT TIME.><LYONS IS BEING HELD ON 4 BONDS, TOTALING TO 7- THOUSAND- DOLLARS. THE OFFICERS I SPOKE WITH SAID HE'LL LIKELY SPEND CHRISTMAS, BEHINDBARS. REPORTING IN ALTOONA, MAX DIEKNEITE, KCCI 8 NEWS, INL.>