Cornish policeman Kevin Quick lived up to his name when he arrested murderer Gary Chester-Nash just hours after the killing of cleaner Jean Bowditch.
Chester-Nash had been spotted stealing a sandwich at St Erth railway station, near the murder scene at Carbis Bay.
Station staff told Pc Quick that the suspect had got on a train to Truro for a connection to London.
Pc Quick immediately drove to Truro, spotted Chester-Nash, 28, at the station and arrested him.
"What Pc Quick did was exceptional"
Chester-Nash was jailed for life on Wednesday for the murder of 59-year-old Mrs Bowditch in October last year.
Police said but for the Pc's "Quick" thinking, the murder might not have been solved and other people would have been put risk.
Det Insp Claire Stalley of the murder investigation squad said: "What Pc Quick did was exceptional.
"By arresting Gary Chester-Nash so soon after the murder was discovered, I believe that we have stopped this man from committing further serious offences.
"My hope is that today's conviction will help Mrs Bowditch's family move on from what must have been a devastating year for them".
Dog handler Pc Quick said when he arrived at Truro railway station he took off his police insignia and saw Chester-Nash "saunter" on to the platform and stand behind others waiting for the London train.
"We got eye contact, and I guess he recognised I was a police officer."
Pc Quick said when he approached the suspect and told him he was investigating the theft of a sandwich, he gave a false name.
The officer said he was "totally convinced" that he was the person involved in the murder and took the suspect back to his police van.
The officer said: "He thought he was going to get away with sandwiches, but when I took him back to the van he realised the game was up."
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