Richard Liebson

rliebson@lohud.com

WHITE PLAINS – Police are investigating whether a Mount Vernon man who Stamford, Connecticut, police said used a wheelchair and pepper spray to steal a $27,000 Rolex watch from a jewelry store there may have been involved in a similar heist in White Plains.

"We're investigating the possibility that it's the same guy because of similarities between the larceny here and the one in Stamford," White Plains Detective Lt. Eric Fischer said Tuesday.

He stopped short of calling Larry Johnson 37, a suspect in the White Plains theft, which occurred July 24 at the Tourneau store in The Westchester mall.

The Advocate of Stamford reports that Johnson was arrested Friday night in New Rochelle on a domestic disturbance call and is being held there on a $350,000 court appearance bond in the Aug. 2 Stamford robbery.

Video from that theft shows a man in a wheelchair putting on a watch shown by a Stamford jewelry store clerk. He pushes back his wheelchair, bumping a second clerk. Police say he pepper sprayed her, got up from the wheelchair and ran toward the door.

In the White Plains incident, a man in a wheelchair asked a clerk to see a $40,000 Rolex. Police said that after being handed the watch, the man stood up and ran away.

Fischer said investigators were aware of the Stamford heist and have been in touch with Connecticut authorities.

"At this point our larceny is still under investigation," he said.

White Plains police are also continuing their investigation of the Aug. 17 robbery of the Tourneau store by three men who used hammers to smash display cases and steal seven watches worth a total of $315,000.

One of the men struggled with a security guard in plain clothes who pulled his gun during the robbery and ended up falling through a large pane of glass into the mall. Police said panicked shoppers ducked for cover and called 911 after hearing glass smashing and seeing a man with a gun.

A police SWAT team arrived within minutes and quickly determined that there was no active shooter or imminent danger.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.