Woman Accused Of Stealing Tens Of Thousands Of Dollars In Valuables From Customers' Homes
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HEMPFIELD TOWNSHIP (KDKA) -- State police say 61-year-old Jane Clark, the woman behind Wallpapering By Jane, is responsible for stealing tens of thousands of dollars in valuables and jewelry from her customers.
Claudia Narcisi admits, like many others, she made a huge mistake when it comes to Jane Clark. She trusted her.
"She came across as a very sincere, trusting woman," Narcisi said.
Narcisi, according to state police, is one of several victims of Clark, who troopers say stole jewelry and valuables from customers over the last decade.
"It's way over $10,000. Well over $10,000," Narcisi said of her losses.
Investigators say Clark had easy access to valuables. She'd show up at victims' houses to do painting or wallpaper work, then empty jewelry boxes and go through drawers, stashing the stolen goods in her Ligonier home before fencing it for cash.
"When I first met her in 2016, she said to me, 'Now when I come and paint for you, you can leave because everybody I paint for leaves their house, and they let me in alone and let me do my work,'" Narcisi said.
Narcisi was allegedly ripped off not once, but twice by Clark. Narcisi started looking online to find where precious metals are bought and sold locally. It didn't take her long to find images of her own jewelry, which she said was "horrifying."
Some of the jewelry was her grandmother's. None of it was recoverable.
"This is all gone," she said. "This was all melted down."
While troopers were investigating Clark, Narcisi confronted the woman and some of her jewelry was returned.
Facing multiple felony theft charges, Clark is in the Westmoreland County Jail held on $35,000 straight cash bond.
Police say they found thousands of dollars worth of jewelry inside Clark's home. That jewelry remains unclaimed. If you believe you are one of Clark's victims, you should contact police.
