Ghanian Woman Arrested with Purse Full of Jewelry Believed Stolen from Home Health Clients
Police believe multiple aliases used by woman, arrested at Kohl's in Toms River
TOMS RIVER, N.J. - A woman working as a live-in home health aide was arrested after police responded to a shoplifting call and discovered she had random jewelry, including New York Police Department rings, wrapped up in her purse.
Toms River Police are hoping to track down the owners of 57 pieces of jewelry believed stolen by the woman, 33 year-old Joyce Ababio of Ghana, Africa.
Though Ababio was using a Bronx address, she was using multiple aliases and working as a home health aide in Whiting, said Toms River Police Chief Michael Mastronardy.
Mastronardy said the health agency that employs the woman is cooperating with police, and investigators are hoping to track down additional owners of the stolen jewelry.
“We responded to a shoplifting call at Kohl’s, from security officers, on a call that she had shoplifted clothes and jewelry,” Mastronardy told Patch Wednesday.
Toms River Police Officer Frank Lauria responded to the call at 7 p.m. Monday, and found loss prevention staff had detained the woman, who had no form of identification on her.
However, her purse was allegedly full of jewelry wrapped in paper towels, said the police chief.
Police began sorting through the items and found a NYPD and a Xavier High School rings that she claims all belonged to a relative in Africa, Mastronardy said.
The NYPD ring had a badge number, and Det. Brian Lomer tracked down the owner after calling the NYPD, Mastronardy said.
“It had the badge number engraved on it, (and) we tracked it down to a retired police officer, who retired in 1970,” Mastronardy said
The retiree is now a Whiting resident and is one of the clients Ababio was working for, he said.
Det. Lomer is working to track down the owners of the other pieces of jewelry.
Mastronardy said the investigation found that Ababio was using multiple aliases, and had identification under numerous names: Akosua Oforiwaa, Faustina Abebio and Joyce Abebio are among the known aliases.
Officer Lauria and Det. Lomer discovered she has been in the area since April working as a health care worker for the elderly.
ICE was contacted and she is being held on no bail in the Ocean County jail. Police are encouraging anyone with information to contact Det. Lomer at 732-349-0150 ext. 1217.
Mastronardy urged residents who have home health care aides to “take necessary precautions and secure your valuables.”
“It’s something we recommend, in any case, but also for those who may require help at home, to keep valuables properly locked up and accounted for,” Mastronardy said.
chattsworth
7:34 pm on Wednesday, October 17, 2012
What's the name of the Health Care agency she worked for? By law aren't they required to e-verify that their employees are legally able to work in this country? Somebody better find out how many more undocumented workers are being deployed to elderly people's homes. Someone could get killed here. What qualified this woman or any others working for this company to care for anybody? Did she dispense meds too or just steal from these people. I hope the family members sue the hell out of this company. Totally unacceptable.
Berkeley Lifer
8:31 pm on Wednesday, October 17, 2012
I agree,don't these agencies screen their personnel?Or find out if these home health aide's are legal citizens?Send this trash back to Ghana and make her pay for the plane ticket!!
barbara
6:02 am on Thursday, October 18, 2012
my first thought, also. i work in home care and background checks and eligibility to work in this country are a must. I would love to know what agency she worked for. Disgusting, preying on the elderly.
Betty May
11:01 pm on Wednesday, October 17, 2012
How Ironic this is. I had a woman from Ghana, back in February, who was also hired as an in home health care aide. The evening she arrived, she asked if I would go out and do some food shopping for her, as she did not have a car and was unfamiliar with the area, which I felt was odd, but entrusted her, while I was gone. BIG MISTAKE!!! because after her 4 day duty was over, I later found many credit cards missing, which I felt were secure. I called the agency, and they told me how they screen everyone who they hire, blau, blau, blau. The worst of it is, I could not prove she took them, only felt sure, because no one else was here while I was out. Never did find them, so I had all of them replaced and cancelled those I didn't need anymore. Fortunately, I am lucky that no charges were incurred. So everyone BEWARE!!! The agency told me these in- home health aides reside here come from all over. Mine lived in Atlantic City. And many of them are from Ghana, as there is now one caring for my neighbor..
I have spoken
7:06 am on Thursday, October 18, 2012
My mothers aid is also from Ghana. She is wonderful. But we also removed ALL valuable from the house. So all she can steal is a spoon if that.
barbara
6:58 pm on Thursday, October 18, 2012
hmmmm. home health aids are suppose to go shopping for you!!!
Ken
12:40 am on Thursday, October 18, 2012
So another illegal, thank you president obama for making it even easier for them to enter and stay in our country, good job.
BayvilleDad
7:14 am on Thursday, October 18, 2012
Does not say she was illegal, just that ICE was contacted.
Martin
7:56 am on Thursday, October 18, 2012
Dumb comment by another Repugnant Republican.
Mike L
9:59 am on Thursday, October 18, 2012
So Ken, I didn't see you blame Congress, the Senate, The agency that hired her, the people that hired her thru the agency, our local government for not checking the company that hired her. Look around, how many illegals you pass every day, but because they work cheap our local business they hire them, you might even Blame the deficit on the business that hire them and pay them under the table....no taxes forwarded to the local governments and Washington.....Look at the BIG picture!!!! Not just one person, as you did!
barbara
6:59 pm on Thursday, October 18, 2012
for sure ken, unbelievable. i work in home care. would love to know who this agency is........
Ken
9:44 pm on Thursday, October 18, 2012
BayvilleDad...if she was not an illegal was was ICE contacted?
Martin...for your information I am not a republican.
Mike L... I do blame Congess and the Senate and all Federal, stae and local governments for this. But you must remember recently obama went over everyone and just decided that illegals and children of illegals can now stay and not have to worry about anything. They can now go to school here, work here and drive here and nothing can be done. Maybe if the politicans were not so worried about the minority votes they would do something about illegal. Funny part is imigrants who came here legally do not care for this going on either. I believe any empolyer who hires an illegal should be fined and if the keep doing it should be jailed. Same goes for anyone renting or housing illegals. If they have no place to live and can not find work they will eventually go back to whatever country they came from. Trust me I see illegals every day, but the powers that be turn their heads to this and will do nothing about it. Look in the papers at least once a week you read of at least one illegal somehow breaking the law and I am not even counting them coming here illegally.
Shep Proudfoot
4:37 pm on Friday, October 26, 2012
Take Barbi for a ride, KEN
Project Bluebeam
6:27 am on Thursday, October 18, 2012
We recently had to hire an aide for my mom. Our aide told us that she had to go through a state background check, her credit report was checked, and she was fingerprinted. We love her and the care she provides is top notch. If you need to hire an aide, research the agencies thoroughly, and ask to see your aide's license issued by the Division of Consumer Affairs/Board of Nursing. They are supposed to carry it at all times. You get what you pay for!
And no, they cannot administer meds!
I have spoken
7:07 am on Thursday, October 18, 2012
ALSO.....The name of the agency should be reported. We need to know ALL the news not just half of it and the most important part of the new totally MIA.
barbara
7:01 pm on Thursday, October 18, 2012
the name of the agency should be reported for sure!!! there is a form they need to fill out that has to be verified by the employer. i know, i do it as part of my job. something not right with this agency!
CHANGE_TR
8:13 am on Thursday, October 18, 2012
She should be shipped back with "Return to Sender". Yet she will probably end up in a jail and be fed and housed on our dollar.
Richard J. Thomas
10:55 am on Thursday, October 18, 2012
Send this turd back to that god forsaken hell hole she crawled out of.
Phil Hueston
11:10 am on Thursday, October 18, 2012
"dumb" is denial. Recognize the problem and deal with it. Its going to get worse. Illegals are still pouring in. No work - no money leads to crime
Randy Butternubs
11:10 am on Thursday, October 18, 2012
I think she needs to be put in a cargo hold of a ship that is passing Africa ( plane ticket too expensive). Taking advantage of old people should be punishable by death.Forget Romney and Obama. This country needs my fresh thinking for its leadership. The second thing I do after I dealt with this Subhuman is catch the children that are breaking into houses in Lacey by noon and banish them and their parents from Ocean County.
suz
2:03 pm on Thursday, October 18, 2012
I agree with a former comment...the name of the agency should absolutely be published! With all the senior developments in this area, I bet it is big business to some who want to make a quick buck. PUBLISH the name of the agency!!!
barbara
7:02 pm on Thursday, October 18, 2012
so agree, suz. would love to know the name of this agency. i deal with homecare and this is not acceptable at all!!!!!!
Linda
9:19 pm on Saturday, January 12, 2013
I agree to, who is the agency!!!!
john biller
4:16 pm on Thursday, October 18, 2012
Yup........Obama who lossened up immmigration in this country.......allows all this garbage to be here. Lets the illegals work entry level jobs and pays the locals to stay home and collect their checks. Lets having a bon voage party for Obama come New Years. BTW, how did both he and Michelle get scholarships to Harvard.......everyones records are sealed. Did he aply as a foreigner as some people suggest?
barbara
7:02 pm on Thursday, October 18, 2012
so agree john......
George
7:55 pm on Thursday, October 18, 2012
How do you know she entered the US during the Obama years and not the previous 8 or 10 years?????????????? True blame is on the company that hired her an but her in a position to do this. These other forms of ID how did she get them there is a lot more to be done with this case. Obama has deported over 1.4 million. If the job creators would hire americans instead illegals there would not be that many running into the iUS
john biller
9:01 am on Friday, October 19, 2012
Deported only criminals arrested...never anyone lese. When you have over 30 million illegal Mexicans and Central Americans takng away entry level work in this country, sending money out of the country, causing USA welfare rolls to skyrocket, and each diabtetic mama popping out 2-4 anchor children each that are a burden to the taxpayer via schooling, free health care, 200 dollars monthly each for food stamps...........and nothing done by Obama, only facilited by Obama. Romney as the only sensible solution....voluntary deportation.
john biller
9:03 am on Friday, October 19, 2012
Has Obama deported his two illegal relatives, one in NY who was doing free housing welfare fraud and the other in Massachusettes who was arrested for DWI? I bet you a million $$$ they are still in Obamaland.
john biller
9:03 am on Friday, October 19, 2012
Rome is burning while Nero plays the fiddle. A financial mess and no budget yet, just jokes? His administration has sadly been Comedy Central.
chris
12:01 pm on Friday, October 19, 2012
This is why we don't need obamacare,They do not pay the IRS like the americans do. This why the USA has a financial mess.
john biller
7:04 am on Sunday, October 21, 2012
OBAMA 2016, THE MOVIE is available for 4.99 now. Everyone should see it be enlightned before they vote. If you don't thats just denial.
Chris. Carde
9:19 pm on Sunday, October 21, 2012
Shame,shame,shame on this women. It is such a sad time we are living in when people pry on our elderly less fortunate people whom the have to rely upon for their care,we are suppose to honor our elders , they do not want to be needy, it's such a shame that these pigs,greedy mean nasty people exist,I did home care and I would always go above and beyond for my patients, God forbid that was me or someone I loved. Is that how they would like be treated. This is a sick world with wicked people in it, I can remember the stories my clients would tell me about some of the people that were sent to their homes..God bless our elderly and helpless people.
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john biller
9:17 am on Thursday, November 15, 2012
More illegal crap condoned by the relecvected president. Welcome to socialist America. Talk about biying votes, just like they did in socialist Greece.
john biller
9:18 am on Thursday, November 15, 2012
Sorry for the typos gang.