The family jewel thief, or unsolvable mystery?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, sorry, but only a fool would put valuable jewelry in an attic. You should have rented a safe deposit box at local bank. Also, you have no proof that she stole anything.

No time for a safe deposit box before we left town. And it would have to be a VERY large box in any event! We know she has two grocery bags full of jewelry because she acknowledged taking it.

[Anonymous]

FIL really messed up. Having said that, it's not jewelry from THEIR family line- why would they think this was ok? Because he let them.

[Anonymous]

The "nice" neighbors who talked to my grandmother every morning and found her dead stole her $50K diamond ring she ALWAYS wore. We couldn't do anything. They claimed she wasn't wearing it when they found her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’d show up at her house with your photos (unannounced) and compare directly against her collection. I doubt she sold it—reselling jewelry is difficult.

Um, no it's not. And if she's hard up for cash, most was unloaded very quickly.

[Anonymous]

So a few things -

1. It isn't really he said/she said. Susie can't claim that he gave her all the jewelry as a reason to keep it. This might mitigate being convicted of theft but is he is the owner and she has no proof of transfer than its not hers to keep.

2. Have you contacted the insurance company? It is most likely insured and catalogued as a rider or item list on the home insurance possibly with additional coverage for the jewelry. Your FIL can report as stolen to the police (who may or may not look into it) and report it as stolen to the insurance company and be very upfront in writing that he believes it was stolen by Susie. The insurance company is not going to pay out letting Susie keep it.

3. If your FIL/MIL were rich enough to have bought 50K worth of jewelry they must have a lawyer or financial adviser connected to a law firm. Having a lawyer send Susie a letter may be enough to scare her into returning it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, sorry, but only a fool would put valuable jewelry in an attic. You should have rented a safe deposit box at local bank. Also, you have no proof that she stole anything.

No time for a safe deposit box before we left town. And it would have to be a VERY large box in any event! We know she has two grocery bags full of jewelry because she acknowledged taking it.

Too bad because you should have taken time. Your fault for not putting valuables in a safe place.

[Anonymous]

This may be in eid the most ridiculous stupid rich people stories on DCUM, ever. Susie is scum embittered what kid of idiots are all of you? And you let YEARS go by?

You’re not getting any of it back at this pint, it’s gone. Do better next time, stupid rich people.

[Anonymous]

My sister and her husband who are millionaires stole my mom’s jewelry too and explained that she gave it to them so my sister can wear it to her lavish parties and galas. It happens in every family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So a few things -

1. It isn't really he said/she said. Susie can't claim that he gave her all the jewelry as a reason to keep it. This might mitigate being convicted of theft but is he is the owner and she has no proof of transfer than its not hers to keep.

2. Have you contacted the insurance company? It is most likely insured and catalogued as a rider or item list on the home insurance possibly with additional coverage for the jewelry. Your FIL can report as stolen to the police (who may or may not look into it) and report it as stolen to the insurance company and be very upfront in writing that he believes it was stolen by Susie. The insurance company is not going to pay out letting Susie keep it.

3. If your FIL/MIL were rich enough to have bought 50K worth of jewelry they must have a lawyer or financial adviser connected to a law firm. Having a lawyer send Susie a letter may be enough to scare her into returning it.

He father let them into the home to take it. T
It would be hard to love burglary. Perhaps wlser abuse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The "nice" neighbors who talked to my grandmother every morning and found her dead stole her $50K diamond ring she ALWAYS wore. We couldn't do anything. They claimed she wasn't wearing it when they found her.

A $50,000 diamond ring would be a minimum of five carats and rare enough that it would have been mapped. If these jewels were insured then the insurance company would have a photo as well as the map and it would be easy to trace. When the ring was not on her finger then you should have reported it as stolen and your suspicions.

Frankly, OP, your story has too many holes and is not believable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The "nice" neighbors who talked to my grandmother every morning and found her dead stole her $50K diamond ring she ALWAYS wore. We couldn't do anything. They claimed she wasn't wearing it when they found her.

A $50,000 diamond ring would be a minimum of five carats and rare enough that it would have been mapped. If these jewels were insured then the insurance company would have a photo as well as the map and it would be easy to trace. When the ring was not on her finger then you should have reported it as stolen and your suspicions.

Frankly, OP, your story has too many holes and is not believable.

Agree.
You should have reported it stolen immediately and informed the police of the last people who saw her. A $50k ring would have been photographed and insured. Check your town's pawn shops to see where they unloaded it.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Well, a few weeks have passed, and after several failed attempts and many texts back and forth, Susie sent back two small boxes of jewelry. (Nowhere near “two grocery bags” that she’d earlier acknowledged taking.) Husband immediately notices a couple of specific rings Susie said she had weren’t included in the packages. So, husband and I sat down and reviewed screen shots from FaceTime call with Cousin Susie and discover there are at least 7 rings missing JUST FROM WHAT SHE’D SHOWN US OVER FACETIME. Husband tries to give Susie benefit of the doubt by cheerfully thanking her for sending packages and asking how many he should expect in total. Susie says “two packages, which you’ve received”. Husband again tries to be nice: “looks like you inadvertently left out some pieces Susie, could you please send those now as well?” Susie dodges messages for a week and finally talks to my husband on Sunday, and tells him she’s just not going to send them back, but of course intends for our children to have them eventually, and how could my husband be so awful to her and put her through this? Why is it so important to have the jewelry back right NOW? Doesn’t my husband know how close Susie and husband’s mom were? (Um, yes, we do know...that you weren’t close, and husband’s mom did not hold Susie in high regard, at all.) Husband tells Susie...send it all back. You lied to us. Susie again tries to manipulate husband into believing he’s a bad guy. Call was a total disaster.

After call, husband forwards Susie her old messages promising to send everything back and apologizing for taking it. He also sends her a not-so-subtle text explaining we have photos of every piece of jewelry and FIL has repeatedly confirmed she’s the only one who’d had access. Next morning, Susie promises to send the rest back, with a shin-kick to my husband about how this has been utterly gut-wrenching for her and she doesn’t know why he’d do this.

I can’t even get my head around this woman’s line of thinking. She portrays herself as a saint who is so put-upon and selfless, and everyone around her is making life so unfair and difficult. She’s never done the wrong thing or made a bad choice - she’s just being treated badly by others. Ugh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Well, a few weeks have passed, and after several failed attempts and many texts back and forth, Susie sent back two small boxes of jewelry. (Nowhere near “two grocery bags” that she’d earlier acknowledged taking.) Husband immediately notices a couple of specific rings Susie said she had weren’t included in the packages. So, husband and I sat down and reviewed screen shots from FaceTime call with Cousin Susie and discover there are at least 7 rings missing JUST FROM WHAT SHE’D SHOWN US OVER FACETIME. Husband tries to give Susie benefit of the doubt by cheerfully thanking her for sending packages and asking how many he should expect in total. Susie says “two packages, which you’ve received”. Husband again tries to be nice: “looks like you inadvertently left out some pieces Susie, could you please send those now as well?” Susie dodges messages for a week and finally talks to my husband on Sunday, and tells him she’s just not going to send them back, but of course intends for our children to have them eventually, and how could my husband be so awful to her and put her through this? Why is it so important to have the jewelry back right NOW? Doesn’t my husband know how close Susie and husband’s mom were? (Um, yes, we do know...that you weren’t close, and husband’s mom did not hold Susie in high regard, at all.) Husband tells Susie...send it all back. You lied to us. Susie again tries to manipulate husband into believing he’s a bad guy. Call was a total disaster.

After call, husband forwards Susie her old messages promising to send everything back and apologizing for taking it. He also sends her a not-so-subtle text explaining we have photos of every piece of jewelry and FIL has repeatedly confirmed she’s the only one who’d had access. Next morning, Susie promises to send the rest back, with a shin-kick to my husband about how this has been utterly gut-wrenching for her and she doesn’t know why he’d do this.

I can’t even get my head around this woman’s line of thinking. She portrays herself as a saint who is so put-upon and selfless, and everyone around her is making life so unfair and difficult. She’s never done the wrong thing or made a bad choice - she’s just being treated badly by others. Ugh.

Thanks for the update. GLAD you got some back. HOPE you get the rest. Fingers crossed.

[Anonymous]

Kudos to OP and her husband for staying firm and not giving into manipulation!

[Anonymous]

I know what I’m going to suggest is completely the most dramatic thing to do but could you get Police involved so she can return the items?