Nurse's Assistant Accused Of Stealing $25,000 Worth Of Jewelry
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. (CBS) -- A nurse's assistant from Arlington Heights is accused of stealing more than $25,000 in jewelry from her patients.
As WBBM Newsradio's Steve Miller reports, a 35-karat aquamarine broach a 10-karat gold tennis bracelet with 35 round diamonds and a pearl necklace are among the items that 42-year-old nurse's assistant Krisann Henderson is accused of stealing from her patients over five years.
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The patients she targeted were mentally or physically impaired.
"It was pretty disturbing because of the level of theft, and from whom the things were being stolen," said Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart. "These were people she was supposed to be watching and caring for. Instead, she stole from at least two or three of them so far, and we anticipate there'll be more people coming forward."
Henderson's alleged thefts were discovered by sheriff's police after a man told authorities his wife's jewelry was missing back in January 2010. But the man's wife was in the hospital at the time and could not talk to police, according to a news release.
The man's wife went on to contact officers for several months with the names of caregivers who had been working in her home. It turned out that one caregiver, Henderson, had been a regular customer at the Arlington Heights Jewelry and Loan store, where she had been pawning the stolen items, the release said.
Six pieces are still missing and three have been recovered, sheriff's police said.
Bond for Henderson was set at $5,000 Monday, sheriff's police said.
Dart says he wants to know if someone in a managerial position over Henderson should have noticed something earlier.
He says anyone who thinks he or she might have been a victim should call the Sheriff's Police Investigation Section, (708) 865-4896.
