FARMINGTON – A man accused of stealing three guns from Wal-Mart was arrested Monday after employees of Olympia Sports reported seeing him steal a pair of sneakers from the Farmington store.

Farmington police arrested Cory J. Bellefeuille, 25, of Farmington on charges of theft and violation of condition of release, officer Brian Ross said Tuesday.

Employees called police to report the theft while Bellefeuille was still in the store.

Ross said officer Darin Gilbert did some investigation and the two waited in the parking lot until Bellefeuille stepped off the curb into the parking lot outside the store.

Bellefeuille is accused of putting on new sneakers in the store and replacing them with his old sneakers in the box.

Bellefeuille pleaded not guilty on April 27 to three charges of theft and a misdemeanor charge of cultivating marijuana. He was indicted on those charges.

Police say Bellefeuille stole three firearms – a shotgun and two rifles – from Wal-Mart in Farmington between Dec. 24, 2006, and Jan. 24. The key to the store’s gun cabinet had been stolen previously, and the key was used to open the locked case to get the guns, police said. Wal-Mart representatives changed the locks to the cabinet after they realized the key was missing, but the old key fit the new case, police Detective Marc Bowering said in early February. A judge banned Bellefeuille from going onto any Wal-Mart Stores Inc. property.