Two Attempted Shopliftings in One Half-Hour Lead to Two Arrests

Two attempted shopliftings led to arrests within a half hour Wednesday in Norwalk, according to police.

At 4:15 p.m., the Walmart store located at 680 Connecticut Ave. contacted police saying they had a male in custody, police said.

When police arrived, the loss prevention employee said Roy Thompson, a 51-year-old of 107 S. Main St. in Norwalk, had taken a pair of sneakers off of the shelf and had put them on, reportedly placing the shoes he had been wearing in the box and back on the shelf, according to police.

Thompson had then walked out of the store, at which point the store called him back inside and took him into custody, police said.

Thompson allegedly pulled another pair of red sneakers out of his shorts that he had attempted to steal as well, according to police.

The total value of the two pairs of sneakers was less than $500, and Thompson was charged with larceny in the sixth degree. His bond was set at $2,000 and his court date is scheduled for July 26, according to the police arrest log.

About a half hour later, Kohl's, located at 500 Connecticut Ave., called in a shoplifting in progress, according to police.

Richard Zwart, a 31-year-old of 2 Frances Ave. in Norwalk, reportedly took off his own shoes and replaced them with a pair of Croft and Barrel sandals, placing his own shoes and a new pair of Adidas sneakers in his backpack, police said.

The merchandise was worth about $208, according to police.

Zwart then walked out of the store, but the store's loss prevention person followed him outside and reportedly asked him to come back inside, which Zwart did. When the police came, Zwart was arrested and charged with larceny in the sixth degree. He was released on a promise to appear and his court date was scheduled for July 26, according to the police arrest log.