Alleged theft of watch may mean felony charge

A 32-year-old man was arrested on Sept. 16 for an alleged theft in Orange County. The Newport Beach resident was accused of stealing a watch from a jewelry store in Westminster. The alleged theft resulted in the man being charged with a robbery and sent to Orange County Jail. He may face a criminal trial for the incident with the possibility of a felony charge.

Westminster police report that the man apparently took a watch from a jewelry store in the Asian Garden Mall. Allegedly, the jewelry store’s owner followed the accused into the parking lot of the mall. Authorities claim that the two men got into an altercation and the owner fired a gun in the parking lot. The Newport Beach man was accused of leaving the scene and the shopkeeper was treated for minor injuries.

Westminster police report that they apprehended the man when he was allegedly attempting to sell the watch at a store in Tustin. Employees apparently had prior knowledge of the alleged robbery and called the authorities. They kept the man in the store until the police arrived. He was taken into custody on the property and booked into Orange County Jail. The watch was identified as an Omega and valued at $9,400.

Because the value of the watch exceeded misdemeanor penalties, the man faces a felony trial for the alleged theft. For those accused of felony robbery, a skilled attorney may be able to aid their case. A knowledgeable defense attorney may be capable of examining the circumstances surrounding an arrest and charges and develop a case for the accused. With the assistance of a defense attorney, those facing a felony charge may be able to have their penalties reduced and criminal record erased of the incident.

Source: Daily Pilot, “Newport man arrested in watch theft“, September 17, 2013

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