A Lady Lake housekeeper is behind bars after several victims reported missing jewelry, including a ring given to a 90-year-old World War II veteran by Gen. Douglas MacArthur.
A Lake County sheriff’s deputy received a call from a victim this past Sunday saying she had received a letter from her housekeeper about an ex-employee, later identified as 34-year-old Betty Lynn Harmon, who was suspected of stealing from clients. The victim said she checked her jewelry and several pieces were missing, a sheriff’s office report states.
The victim described a Claddagh ring that included her late grandmother’s wedding band, valued at $1,500, and said Harmon had asked about it while cleaning her house. She said a tri-colored bracelet valued at $500 also was missing, as well as a serpentine chain with a dolphin charm valued at $250.
The deputy reported that Harmon had sold a ring matching that description to Gold In Art Jewelers in Lady Lake. He texted the victim a photo of that ring and she confirmed it was the one missing from her home. The deputy also showed the victim a photo of a tri-colored bracelet Harmon sold to Bob’s Coins and Jewelers in Summerfield and she positively identified it as well, the report says.
The deputy told the victim that Harmon started taking jewelry to Gold In Art Jewelers in May and said his agency and the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office are actively investigating 11 other cases where Harmon is a suspect, the report says.
The deputy also identified the first victim to come forward as a 90-year-old WW II soldier who was missing five rings and cash, including the piece of jewelry he received from MacArthur. Deputies canvassed area jewelry stores and pawn shops searching for the ring, which led them to Gold in Art Jewelers, where they received a printout of nine transactions Harmon made at the store from May through August, the report says.
Harmon was arrested Monday after at a residence in the 4100 block of Marion County Road in Weirsdale. While en route to the Lake County Jail, she demanded to speak with two Sumter County sheriff’s detectives and then told the deputy he had to prove to her with video evidence that she committed the crimes. She said she wanted an attorney to meet her at the jail and was told she could call one when they arrived at the detention center in Tavares.
Harmon then stated that she was going to “beat that (expletive deleted) ass” and claimed another woman living at her mother’s residence was stealing from victims and was the one dealing in stolen property, the report says.
The deputy told Harmon that 12 victims had contacted either the Lake County or Sumter County sheriff’s offices and she admitted to stealing a watch that was sold to Bob’s Coins and Jewelers. She then admitted to “all of them” but said she couldn’t remember stealing from the WW II veteran, the report says.
The deputy called a Sumter County detective to let him know that Harmon had been arrested and he said he would be getting his charges together soon. A background check also showed that Harmon has a criminal history out of Ohio for receiving stolen property and permitting drug use, the report says.
Harmon, who lives at 330 Orange St. in Lady Lake, was booked into the Lake County Jail on Monday night and charged with larceny/grand theft, dealing in stolen property and exploitation of the elderly. She was being held on $17,000 bond and is due to appear in a Lake County courtroom on Oct. 21 at 8:30 a.m. to answer to the charges.
