Newport man arrested in watch theft

Westminster police arrested a Newport Beach man Monday on suspicion of stealing a watch worth almost $10,000.

Travis Lambright, 32, allegedly took the watch Friday from Tick Tock jewelers in the Asian Garden Mall on Bolsa Avenue.

The store’s owner chased Lambright into the parking lot, where an altercation ensued and the jeweler fired several gunshots, police said in a news release. Lambright drove off with the watch, leaving the shop owner with minor injuries, police said.

Officers arrested Lambright when he allegedly tried to sell the $9,400 Omega watch at a store in Tustin.

An employee there had read about the robbery and alerted the police, according to the release.

Tustin police and the store employee stalled Lambright until Westminster detectives arrived.

Westminster police booked Lambright into Orange County Jail on robbery charges.

— Jeremiah Dobruck

Twitter: @jeremiahdobruck