WESTPORT – Police arrested Dawn Johnson, 52, of Philadelphia, June 2 on larceny charges relating to the 2018 theft of a wallet at Panera Bread on Post Road East.

The arrest came after an investigation concerning a wallet that was taken out of a purse left unattended and dangling on a chair at Panera in July of 2018. Later that day, Trumbull police contacted the owner to say that their credit cards had been used illegally at stores in Trumbull and that a bag had been located containing items reported stolen.

Dawn Johnson was identified as the person who allegedly committed these crimes through surveillance footage, search warrants and law enforcement sharing, police said. Johnson was also charged with payment card fraud, conspiracy to commit payment card fraud, payment card theft, conspiracy to commit payment card theft, and identity theft.

Police arrested Johnson at Lehigh County Prison in Allentown, PA, and he was taken to Westport Police Department, charged and held on $50,000 bond. He was subsequently taken to Stamford Superior Court on June 3 for arraignment.