Nursing Home Employee Swipes Visitors Credit Cards: Police

PALOS HEIGHTS, IL — A nursing home employee is accused of stealing credit cards and blank checks from elderly patients’ visitors and then going on a shopping spree. Andrea Hart, 30, of Willowbrook, appeared before Cook County Judge John Mahoney on felony charges of unlawful possession of fictitious credit cards and aggravated financial identity theft.

Between July 19 and July 26, two families reported stolen credit cards and checks while visiting elderly patients at Manor Care East, 7850 W College Drive, Palos Heights. The prosecutor said Hart waited for the visitors to leave the room, then took items out of the visitors’ purses. Hart was allegedly captured on video taking the stolen items to the common room.

Palos Heights police said Hart used the stolen credit cards and checks to purchase over $3,000 jewelry, shoes, men's and women's clothing. At the time of Hart’s arrest on Sept. 9, police said she was in possession of designer shows valued at over $1,000 and several thousand dollars worth of jewelry, that may be tied to the Manor Care East thefts.

The prosecutor said Hart has a pending theft case in Riverside. Hart was released on a $10,000 I-bond. She is due back in court Oct. 7 in Bridgeview.