Police: Cleaning Woman Stole $193K In Jewelry From Home

LATROBE (KDKA/AP) - State police say a cleaning woman stole $193,000 worth of jewelry from a western Pennsylvania home, then sold them piecemeal to a precious metals dealer by claiming they belonged to her late mother.

Forty-seven-year-old Deborah Decker's defense attorney didn't immediately return a call seeking comment Friday.

The Ligonier woman was charged Thursday by police and faces a preliminary hearing May 4.

Police say the owner of the jewelry began investigating when she noticed a ring and necklace missing from her jewelry box in December. The woman contacted pawn shops and precious metals stores and called police when she found her necklace on display at the Treasure Hunt store in the Mountain Laurel Plaza.

The victim called police and the transaction record for the necklace was obtained.

The records indicated Decker had sold the necklace along with a 14-carat herringbone chain and a 14-carat cross charm.

She sold all three items for $749.

The victim indicated that Decker had been cleaning her house two days a week since February of 2014.

At that point, all transaction records for Decker at the Treasure Hunt store were obtained.

The victim looked at the records and identified all of her missing jewelry and coins. The total value was estimated to be $193,298.

Decker is facing a list of charges, including theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property.

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