Man Charged in Greenwich Diamond Bait/Switch Formerly Stamford Suspect

An exterminator has been arrested again on a larceny charge, accused of switching an expensive diamond from the ring of a Greenwich client with a stone of lesser quality.

George Lawrence, 41, who gave an address of 156 Wake St., Bridgeport, surrendered May 15 to Greenwich Police who obtained an arrest warrant charging him with first-degree larceny in connection with the Dec. 29, 2010 incident. Police spokesman Lt. Kraig Gray said, "He switches diamonds with a lesser quality diamond with the intent to mislead the owner it is the same ring."

The bait and switch apparently didn't fool the resident of a Thunder Mountain Road home who noticed that the diamond from a ring had been changed. Lawrence was described by police as an employee of Guaranty Pest Elimination who was completing work at the home. The missing stone was valued "in excess of $10,000 and has not been recovered, Gray said.

Lawrence posted $50,000 bond and is scheduled to appear May 22 in state Superior Court in Stamford.

This isn't the first time Lawrence has been charged with similar incidents. in November 2011 following a complaint that a 2.1 carat diamond was replaced with a fake in a home where Lawrence worked as an exterminator. Stamford Police investigated a similar incident and worked with Darien cops which lead to the Darien charge.

for a similar incident involving two diamond rings owned by a woman who hired the extermination company in July 2011.

The disposition of those cases was not immediately available Wednesday.

None of the diamonds have been recovered.