Cops: Macy's burglar caught in the act

A man walked into Macy's at Roosevelt Field in East Garden City Monday, removed what police called "a hanger-like tool" from his jacket pocket, pried open a jewelry case and stole two rings, police said.

He didn't get far.

Nassau County police said the would-be robber, who had made his move in the crowded store at 11:10 a.m., was stopped by a store security officer who apprehended the man and held him until police officers arrived.

Felix J. White, 24, of 67 Martin Luther King Dr., Hempstead, was charged with possession of burglary tools, tampering with physical evidence, third-degree burglary and third-degree robbery. Though White did not physically break into the store, police said the burglary charges stem from the fact that he previously had been stopped for petit larceny at the Macy's store in Walt Whitman Mall in November 2008 at which time he was informed he was banned from all Macy's stores.

The tampering charge is because White threw the two rings into a crowd of shoppers as store security was attempting to apprehend him, police said.

The rings were valued at $1,200, police said.