Update: Thief Who Swiped Furs from Greenwich Saks Fifth Avenue Still on the Lam; Getaway Driver Caught

Update: 10 a.m. Nov. 27:

New York State Police have identified the suspect who drove the getaway car after a thief swiped numerous fur vests and jackets from Saks Fifth Avenue on Thanksgiving eve.

About 15 minutes after the theft was reported to Greenwich Police who broadcast a description of the getaway car, troopers from the Thruway barracks spotted the black Dodge Charger southbound on Interstate 95. According to New York State Police, officers conducted a felony traffic stop on the vehicle.

As the driver, Gerald Norman, 50, of Mount Vernon, NY exited the vehicle, the passenger got into the driver’s seat and sped off. Norman was taken into custody and troopers began to pursue the vehicle, which had taken Exit 16 into the City of New Rochelle, according to police. The suspect then collided with a marked State Police car, disabling both vehicles. The suspect then fled on foot and is still being sought by police on Thanksgiving Day.

Norman was charged with criminal possession of stolen property third degree, a class D felony, and is awaiting arraignment in New Rochelle City Court, according to police.

Original story: 12:18 p.m. Nov. 26:

In a brazen Thanksgiving eve snatch-and-grab, a thief swiped several fur coats from Saks Fifth Avenue on Greenwich Avenue.

The theft the furs worth more than $50,000 occurred about 11:15 a.m. Wednesday at the store located at 205 Greenwich Ave., according to Greenwich Police Capt. Robert Berry.

In a statement, Berry said, ”about 11:15 a.m. a suspect entered the Saks Fifth Avenue, 205 Greenwich Ave., grabbed multiple fur coats with a total value in excess of $50,000 and ran out of the store without making payment. The suspect entered a waiting sedan containing at least one other suspect and the vehicle left the area at a high rate of speed.

“Witnesses provided Greenwich PD a vehicle description; an immediate broadcast was issued to all surrounding police agencies,” Berry said. “The New York State Police observed a vehicle matching the description on I-95 in New Rochelle and conducted a traffic stop on it. The operator exited the vehicle upon the direction of the state police but the passenger then got into the driver’s seat and drove away from the scene,” according to Berry.

“The suspect vehicle stopped a short time later after it crashed and the suspect fled that scene on foot. Police in New York are currently searching for that second suspect,” Berry said.

Berry also said, “The first operator of the vehicle is in the custody of New York State Police. Greenwich PD is currently working with New York authorities in order to continue the investigation. Charges from both Connecticut and in New York are pending.”

It was not immediately known whether the fur coats were recovered after the car crash in New Rochelle. Neither was the specific location of the suspect’s car crash.

Photo: The rear entrance to Saks Fifth Avenue in Greenwich, Nov. 26, 2014. Credit: Barbara Heins.

Have a news tip? Email barbara.heins@patch.com. You can also post your own news, events and announcements on Patch by following these directions. Curious about how our new commenting platform, Disqus, works? Learn more about it here and start interacting with your neighbors on Patch.