Ceres Police Officer Nicholas Welsh was in the right place and right time when he spotted a stolen GMC Sierra pickup – directly in front of him – while he was on patrol in the area of Herndon and Hatch roads Tuesday evening, March 21.

Officer Welsh conducted a high-risk stop on the driver at 9:08 p.m. and with additional officers removed 45-year-old Modesto driver Jesus Santos Lopez from the vehicle at gunpoint.

Lopez was booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center on charges of vehicle theft and possession of a stolen vehicle.