At about 5:55 p.m. Saturday, a police officer spotted Jorge Huante driving a vehicle near the intersection of California and Laurel streets, police said.
Huante had been identified as the suspect in the Tuesday robbery of Sylvan Music Store at 1521 Mission St., as well as the robbery of a Offshore Music Store at 926 Soquel Ave. on Monday, and the robbery of a Valero gas station at 2202 Mission St. on Feb. 20, according to police.
The police officer followed the vehicle, a light blue 1992 Ford Thunderbird, until it stopped in the area of Younglove Avenue and Mission Street, police said.
At that point, a traffic stop was initiated, and Huante and a male passenger were taken into custody.
A replica firearm was found in the vehicle, and was similar in style to the weapon described by victims in the robberies, according to police.
Huante was booked into Santa Cruz county jail on suspicion of multiple counts of robbery, police said.
The passenger in the vehicle was later released after being interviewed by investigators.
