Cleaner who stole £2,000 of jewels is caught by customer after police drop probe

14 March 2023 , 07:04

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Billi-Jo Pratt, 27, pleaded guilty to theft from a dwelling (Image: Facebook)

A woman caught her cleaner red-handed after she had nearly £2,000 worth of jewellery stolen from her.

Police dropped the investigation on a lack of evidence when they were called by Angela Rees, 57, who suspected her 27-year-old cleaner Billi-Jo Pratt.

Angela, from Kent, suddenly found jewellery - including a sapphire pendant set and a yellow sapphire ring, among other rings and gold earrings - had gone missing last April.

Their absence was realised about two days after Pratt had cleaned the property.

Police questioned the cleaner, who denied taking the jewellery marked at a cool £1,825, and even suggested Angela's boyfriend was behind it all.

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Taking matters into her own hands, Angela went to her local pawnshop in the seaside town of Broadstairs, Kent, to ask if they'd seen her valuables.

Pratt tried to suggest Angela's boyfriend was behind the theft (Facebook)

The shop had, in fact, the CCTV evidence to prove it bought the missing items, and Angela alerted the police once again.

Appearing at Margate Magistrates Cort, Pratt pleaded guilty to theft from a dwelling. She was ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and attend 25 rehabilitation sessions as part of an 18-month community order.

She must also pay a victim surcharge of £95 and £85.

Defending Pratt, Ian Bond said the jewellery was returned to Angela and noted Pratt has no previous convictions for dishonesty.

CCTV of Pratt pawning the jewellery at a local shop was found (Google)

He called her behaviour "out of character" and said she regretted what she did, saying she recently fled her home due to domestic violence.

The chair of the magistrates' bench, Diane August, told her: "This offence was committed in a position of trust and you were under a suspended sentence order at the time.

"We appreciate you were in difficult circumstances fleeing domestic violence and we have taken that into consideration.

"We will not activate the current suspended sentence order as the crime was of a different nature."

James Gamble