Oregonian in jail after ring swiped

A suspect in jewel thefts in multiple states was arrested Thursday, accused of swiping an $8,900 diamond ring from a jewelry store in North Little Rock.

Richard Laracuente, 55, of Portland, Ore., admitted to taking a diamond ring from Wirt’s Jeweler’s on John F. Kennedy Boulevard on Wednesday and later pawning it in North Little Rock, according to police reports.

Store employees identified the man from security footage.

Laracuente is wanted on theft charges in several states, including Tennessee, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Kentucky.

Little Rock police officers arrested Laracuente on charges of felony theft of property, theft by receiving, obstructing governmental operations, possession of a controlled drug substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and two fugitive holds out of Kentucky and Pennsylvania, according to online arrest records.

Laracuente is being held without bail in the Pulaski County jail. needed all the money in the cash drawers.

The gunman threatened to kill her and himself, the report states. The man said he “had nothing to lose,” the report said.

The employee told police she had to get a 28-year-old co-worker to open the register before the robber took the money and ran off. Authorities said $150 was stolen.