Cleaning lady charged in jewelry theft

BARRINGTON, R.I. (WPRI) -- An East Providence woman is accused of stealing hundreds of dollars worth of jewelry from a Barrington home she was hired to clean.

Maria Gagnon, 56, of 10 Heath Court, appeared in court Friday on a charge of felony larceny over $1,500.

The homeowner, who hired Gagnon two months ago, reported several rings missing after a recent cleaning. Officers tracked down some of the jewelry at a Pawtucket pawn shop, which according to their records were sold in Gagnon's name on Dec. 26. A warrant was then put out for her arrest.

Police also said they seized several pieces of jewelry from Gagnon's home, some of which belonged to the Barrington homeowner. They're holding on to the rest in case more victims come forward. Further investigation revealed that the suspect has sold numerous pieces of jewelry to various area pawn shops dating back to October 2012.

Gagnon was released on $10,000 personal recognizance.