A deputy with the Pima County Sheriff’s Department took a theft report from the daughter of an elderly victim on October 16, 2012. The deputy learned that the 86-year-old victim stayed at the Fountains Assisted Living Facility, in northwest Tucson, and told her daughter about jewelry items she was missing.
Detectives learned that nine jewelry items worth several thousand dollars were missing. The victim and her daughter provided a list of individuals who had access to the residence, and detectives began their investigation. They found one of the caregivers, later identified as 63-year-old Sylvia Delgado Cruz, had pawned items that belonged to the victim at a Tucson area pawn shop.
Three items pawned by Cruz were identified by the victim. Sheriff’s Detectives then went to Cruz’s workplace to interview her and confront her with their findings. During the interview, Cruz told investigators about four items belonging to the victim and that these pieces of jewelry were at her (Cruz’s) house. A search warrant was obtained for the suspect’s residence and the items mentioned were located.
Cruz was arrested and booked into the Pima County Adult Detention Center on charges of Theft and Trafficking in Stolen Property.