On Monday at 7:04 p.m., Ithaca police officers responded to the report of a subject who displayed a handgun when confronted by store personnel regarding shoplifting at Wal-Mart, 135 Fairgrounds Memorial Parkway. When approached, the man placed his hand on the handle of what appeared to be a handgun tucked in the waist of his pants before fleeing the store with the stolen property.
Police got a description of his vehicle and quickly located it between Lowes and the Spring Buffet. Officers subsequently ordered its five occupants out at gunpoint. The suspect that fled from the store was identified as Gregory Desamours, age 37, Newark Valley. He was arrested for petit larceny of over $150 in merchandise. Desamours admitted he had a BB gun in his waistband at the time of the theft. Desamours was processed at the Ithaca Police Department before being issued an appearance ticket for a later appearance in Ithaca City Court.
Desamours was then turned over to the New York State Police on outstanding warrants for him for unrelated charges in another unspecified jurisdiction.
A second passenger, who was not identified, in the vehicle was determined to be wanted for unrelated charges in another county. He was also turned over to the NYSP for transport to that locale.
The BB gun used by Desamours as well as a second BB gun were located in the vehicle. Police said the BB gun that Desamours was said to have displayed in the store could easily be mistaken for a real handgun.
