Police Blotter for May 27: Shoplifter Eludes Manhunt, Police Dog

An unidentified man eluded a police manhunt and K-9 from the Westport Police Department on Thursday after stealing a pair of sneakers from Bob's Stores in Fairfield and choking a security guard at the store by Post and South Benson roads.

Police said the man took off the shoes he was wearing and put on a new pair of Nike sneakers valued at $92 and headed out of the store about 11:46 a.m. A security officer at the store confronted him, and the man put his hands around the security officer's neck, police said. The security officer suffered minor scrapes and bruises and declined medical attention, police said.

The shoplifter then ran out of the store in a southeasterly direction on South Benson Road, police said. A K-9 from the Westport Police Department lost the man's scent in a small cemetery off Old Post Road, police said.

The man was described by police as Hispanic, about 5 feet, 9 inches tall, about 180 pounds and having a tattoo of a cross on his lower neck. Anyone with information on the incident or man can call the Detective Bureau at 203-254-4840.

Wire Valued at $800 Stolen From Southport Factory

A roll of wire, made of chrome and nickel, weighing about 25 pounds and valued at $800, was reported stolen from the Jelliff factory on Pequot Avenue in Fairfield's Southport neighborhood on Wednesday. The theft was reported to police Thursday afternoon.

Police said there was no sign of forced entry.

Variation of 'Grandma Scam' Fails

A 63-year-old resident on Pompano Road in Fairfield received a phone call Thursday afternoon from a man claiming to be a public defender and saying he needed $3,400 to bail the resident's nephew out of jail, police said.

The resident hung up the phone, police said.

The scam attempted Thursday is a variation of the "Grandma Scam," which involves a man claiming to be a police officer or attorney who calls a senior citizen and says the senior citizen's grandson has been arrested in a drunken-driving accident in Canada or upstate New York and needs money for bail. The scammer then tells the senior citizen to wire money, and another scam artist, posing as the grandson, gets on the phone and begs the senior citizen not to tell anyone what happened because he is ashamed.

For questions about this blotter, e-mail andrewb@patch.com