A home health aide worker was arrested March 4 and charged with allegedly stealing approximately $93,000 from one of her patients.
Debra Allen, 54, of Millstone was charged with theft by deception, forgery, uttering forged checks, theft by unlawful taking and use of the victim’s credit card, according to a release by Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey and Chief Michael E. Lloyd of the Monroe Township Police Department.
Bail for Ms. Allen was set at $100,000.
The defendant was charged during an investigation by Detective Joseph Silvestri of the Monroe Township Police Department and Detective Linda Infusino of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.
During the investigation it was determined that Ms. Allen took the victim’s checkbook to write checks to herself and took a credit card to make purchases that included clothing and to cover the cost of cosmetic surgery. The thefts occurred between December 2015 and February 2016.
The victim, an 81-year-old Monroe Township resident, called police after bank officials contacted him.
“The Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office has recently assembled a group of its existing detectives to serve on an Elder Abuse and Exploitation Team. This specialized team works closely with local police agencies to combat elder abuse and fraud. This arrest is a result of that cooperative effort. I commend the efforts of Detective Silvestri and the MCPO Elder Abuse and Exploitation Team,” said Mr. Carey in the release.
The investigation is active and is continuing. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Silvestri of the Monroe Township Police Department at 732-521-0222, extension 151, or Detective Infusino of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-745-3477.
