Chewing Gum Leads to Arrest of Bowery Varvatos Felon

Word to the wise – don’t rob a John Varvatos store with old chewing gum stuck in the lining of your pockets.

This daily blotter item over at the New York Post is actually six months in the making. Back on October 21, thirty-two-year-old Troy Cooper entered the posh Bowery boutique (formerly CBGB) and nonchalantly swapped his coat for one on display. It was a $3,598 upgrade that went unpunished…until now.

Cooper was arrested last week after DNA testing on the chewed gum revealed his true identity. He was reportedly charged with grand larceny for the theft. The man has numerous priors, including two purse snatchings in Soho and an arrest from stealing a pair of leather jackets from Macy’s.