Stole ring from 89-year-old woman
ROME, ONEIDA COUNTY -- Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the arrests of two Rome nursing home employees for allegedly stealing and then pawning an engagement ring belonging to an 89-year-old resident. The arrests stem from Attorney General Cuomo’s statewide investigations into abuse and neglect in institutional care settings.
Amanda Thaler, 27, of Dix Road, Rome, was a certified nurse aide at Bethany Gardens Skilled Living Facility. She is charged with petit larceny (class A misdemeanor). Her boyfriend, Sheldon Stoddard, 27, of O’Brien Road, Rome, was a Dietary Technician at Bethany Gardens. He is charged with criminal possession of stolen property in the fifth degree (class A misdemeanor.)
According to court records, on October 6, 2008 Thaler took two rings, a gold and diamond engagement ring given to the victim by her husband in 1940, and a family ring containing various gemstones. The rings were visibly loose on the victim’s finger, and Thaler offered to take and have them fixed so they would not fall off her hand.
Approximately a half hour later, the victim requested the rings be returned, but Thaler ignored her. Later in the dining room the victim again called out to Thaler to return the rings, at which point she handed back the family ring, but not the engagement ring.
According to court records, when pressed for the engagement ring, Thaler responded that she was feeling ill and needed to leave work. She called her boyfriend and co-worker Stoddard to come pick her up at the nursing home.
Thaler gave her boyfriend the ring and they drove together to a pawn shop where they sold it for $15.00.
Thaler and Stoddard have since been terminated from Bethany Gardens. The engagement ring was recovered and is being held by the Rome Police Department as evidence.
Stoddard and Thaler were sent back to the Oneida County Correctional Facility where they are being held on unrelated charges.
Information courtesy the Office of the Attorney General
