A caretaker has been charged with stealing from an 80-year-old resident of The Villages.
Ryan Hope Thompson, 40, of Ocala, turned herself in on Monday at the Sumter County Detention Center, where she was booked on felony charges of grand theft from a person over the age of 65 and exploitation of the elderly.
Thompson had been hired to care for the woman in the Village of Summerhill. The woman “has medical conditions which make it hard to walk without a cane; she falls often and requires assistance to complete day to day tasks,” the deputy wrote in the arrest report.
The Villager reported on July 7 the theft of a ring and a bracelet valued at $50,000. She later reported the theft of another ring and earrings valued at $20,000. The woman said Thompson was the only person who had access to the jewelry.
Thompson was captured on video surveillance at Lady Jeweler in Ocala. The deputy also obtained pawn receipts, indicating Thompson had pawned the jewelry.
Thompson was released after posting $15,000 bond.
