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Manhattan Beach police arrested a man in connection with a smash-and-grab robbery at a jewelry store Aug. 3, and reported that the suspect’s alleged accomplice was arrested by Westminster police in connection with a similar crime in that city, a Manhattan Beach police officer said Wednesday.
Jameson Laforest, 23, was arrested by Manhattan Beach police detectives on Tuesday at his Inglewood home in connection with the robbery at Prestige Jewelers in the Manhattan Village Mall, said Manhattan Beach police Officer Stephanie Martin.
That robbery happened about 11:30 a.m. Aug. 3. Two men used hammers to break display cases, stole a number of undisclosed items and fled, Martin said. No one was hurt in the robbery.
A search of Laforest’s home and automobile turned up evidence linking him to the crime, Martin said, including a loaded firearm. Laforest posted a $140,000 bond and is scheduled for arraignment Feb. 19 in Southwest Superior Court in Torrance.
Meanwhile, Manhattan Beach police learned that Westminster police had arrested Jamaal Andrew McKinney, 21 of Los Angeles, on Nov. 12 in connection with a similar robbery in Westminster.
Investigators compared surveillance video from the two robberies and identified McKinney as Laforest’s alleged accomplice in the Manhattan Beach robbery, Martin said.
Laforest is not believed to have taken part in the Westminster robbery, said Martin.
— City News Service