Darien police pull guns on NY Yankees GM Brian Cashman

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman. Photo: Frank Franklin II / Associated Press Photo: Frank Franklin II / Associated Press Image 1 of / 11 Caption Close Darien police pull guns on NY Yankees GM Brian Cashman 1 / 11 Back to Gallery

DARIEN — New York Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman has become known locally as “Cash the Elf” for his annual Christmas tradition rappelling down a 300-foot Stamford building.

On Friday, he was mistaken for Cash the Car Thief.

Darien police pulled their guns on the 52-year-old as he was exiting a gas station in town, he told the New York Post. He said between six and nine officers had their weapons drawn on him, according to the Post.

Cashman said his white Jeep Wrangler was stolen last weekend, but recovered Tuesday in the Bronx, N.Y., according to the Post. However, the Jeep was never taken off the stolen vehicle list.

The Rowayton resident said he was on his way to the Norwalk Police Department to have his vehicle processed for evidence when he was abruptly detained, the Post reported.

“And that’s when apparently the circumstances radically changed,” Cashman told the Post. “I had a welcoming committee descend upon me as I pulled out of that gas station.”

Cashman, who has been the annual star of Stamford’s Heights and Lights event, said the ordeal lasted 15 minutes.