Employee Stole, Pawned Jewelry from Patients: Police

FAIRFAX CITY, VA -- Fairfax City Police have arrested an Alexandria woman, now a former employee, of a local nursing center for allegedly stealing and pawning jewelry from patients, police said in their daily crime report released Wednesday.

Police say that the woman stole jewelry from patients at Fairfax Nursing Center, located at 10701 Main St. in Fairfax. Police did not give descriptions of the jewelry or say whether it was recovered.

The now-former employee, Mariama Wandu, 35, of Alexandria, met with officers at police headquarters Feb. 24 and was taken into custody and transported to the Adult Detention Center, police said. Her bond was set at $5,000.

Wandu was charged with three counts of grand larceny and three counts of larceny with intent to sell, after investigators found that stolen items had been taken to pawn shops.

The City police department's Patrol and Criminal Investigations Division identified Wandu as a suspect after investigating thefts of jewelry from patients between August 30-Jan. 12, police said.

PHOTO: Fairfax Nursing Center photo from fairfaxnursingcenter.com