Crime & Safety

Exterminator Charged in New Canaan Scam Arrested Again

Greenwich police charge exterminator in case of switching expensive diamond with 'a lesser quality" stone in client's home.

 

An exterminator who was was arrested again on Wednesday — but this time by Greenwich police. He is accused of switching an expensive diamond from the ring of a Greenwich client with a stone of lesser quality.

George Lawrence, 41, who gave an address of 156 Wake St., Bridgeport, surrendered May 15 to police who obtained an arrest warrant charging him with first-degree larceny in connection with the Dec. 29, 2010 incident. Police spokesman Lt. Kraig Gray said, "He switches diamonds with a lesser quality diamond with the intent to mislead the owner it is the same ring."

Find out what's happening in New Canaanwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The bait and switch apparently didn't fool the resident of a Thunder Mountain Road home who noticed that the diamond from a ring had been changed. Lawrence was described by police as an employee of Guaranty Pest Elimination who was completing work at the home. The missing stone was valued "in excess of $10,000 and has not been recovered, Gray said.

Lawrence posted $50,000 bond and is scheduled to appear May 22 in state Superior Court in Stamford.

Find out what's happening in New Canaanwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Lawrence in November 2011 following a complaint that a 2.1 carat diamond was replaced with a fake in a home where Lawrence worked as an exterminator. Stamford Police investigated a similar incident and worked with Darien cops which lead to the Darien charge.

The disposition of the cases in Darien and New Canaan were not immediately available Wednesday.

None of the diamonds have been recovered.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.