Care worker arrested after elderly woman's savings go missing
November 04, 2008
A CARE worker has been arrested on suspicion of stealing £50,000 from an elderly woman's savings over a two-year period.
The 59-year-old female who has yet to be named by police, was employed privately by the pensioner's family for five years to care for the woman at her Exmouth home.
For two years, she is suspected of taking large sums of money from the 79-year-old victim's bank account.
Police arrested the woman in Redditch, Worcestershire, last week, on suspicion of theft and obtaining property by deception.
The care worker is suspected of applying for a bank loan in the pensioner's name and of taking substantial sums of money from her bank account.
For two years, she is suspected of taking large sums of money from the 79-year-old victim's bank account.
Police arrested the woman in Redditch, Worcestershire, last week, on suspicion of theft and obtaining property by deception.
The care worker is suspected of applying for a bank loan in the pensioner's name and of taking substantial sums of money from her bank account.
Det Con Pete Boorn, of Exmouth Criminal Investigation Team, said: "The suspected offences happened between 2004 and 2006.
"It concerns a care worker who is believed to have fleeced an elderly lady out of in excess of £50,000 of her savings.
"She was located in Redditch and arrested last week on suspicion of theft by an employee and obtaining property by deception.
"She is believed to have applied for a bank loan in the lady's account and ran up debts of £8,500.
"She is also suspected of obtaining cash from the lady's Halifax account."
The pensioner is believed to have had £41,000 in savings but after 18 months was left with just £171.
Police say the pensioner had very small out-goings and paid for her bills, weekly groceries and her carer's wage out of her pension.
The care worker was initially employed through an agency to look after the victim and her husband. He suffered a fall and went into a nursing home. She was then employed privately by the family to care for the elderly lady. The pensioner died on December 8, 2006.
DC Boorn added: "This is a serious offence involving someone abusing their position of trust as a care worker. A substantial amount of money was stolen from this lady.
"Anything of this nature will be dealt with by means of positive inquiries and every effort will be made to track down offenders who commit such crimes.
"We would like to warn those people who have care workers to be vigilant about their money and where it is being spent.
"The family of this lady trusted the woman they had employed and she abused that trust."
The 59-year-old woman has been bailed to reappear at Exmouth police station on December 19.
Abridged
SOURCE: This is Exeter UK
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