DEPUTIES NAB BURGLARY SUSPECT.

Byline: Bhavna Mistry Daily News Staff Writer

An off-duty deputy still in uniform fired three warning shots into the ground early Friday morning after a man believed to be involved in a burglary appeared to be reaching for a weapon, officials said.

Deputy Miguel Torres fired three warning shots into the ground just after midnight behind a closed cafe in the 45400 block of Sierra Highway after Jeffrey Spence, 38, of Lancaster, reached into a vehicle for what the deputy thought was a weapon, sheriff's officials said.

``The deputy felt the suspect was arming himself,'' said Los Angeles County sheriff's Sgt. Larry Mead. ``He reached toward the right passenger seat as if to retrieve a weapon.''

Officials said that Torres was on his way home when he saw an unoccupied sedan with its lights out and license plate covered with paper parked behind Nico's Mexican Food Cafe and suspected a burglary was in progress.

When a man appeared from behind some bushes, Torres identified himself as a deputy.

``The suspect uttered an obscenity and started his car,'' Mead said. ``The deputy pointed a weapon at him and ordered him to stop.''

When Torres saw the man reaching inside his car, he fired his weapon three times toward the ground, officials said.

After the shots were fired, the suspect drove off but was taken into custody at Lancaster City Park where the man drove his car up onto a curb and stopped, officials said.

Spence initially cooperated with deputies then started to run. He was taken into custody again following a short foot pursuit, officials said.

He is being held at the Lancaster sheriff's station on suspicion of attempted burglary and interfering with an investigation, officials said.