Posted: 29 Sep 2010 12:43 AM PDT

An Alamo Heights man was jailed Tuesday on charges he stole more than $25,000 in jewels from a home where he attended a party.

An arrest warrant issued Monday charges Ryan Mason McMahon, 18, with the theft of a wedding ring, gold charms and other pieces of jewelry — some of which he later pawned — the weekend of Sept. 17-19 from the residence of Leslie M. Vigini.

She told police her son hosted a party that night at her residence in the 100 block of Katherine Court in Alamo Heights without her permission. When she returned from out of town Sept. 20, she discovered that valuables worth an estimated $25,300 were missing.

Alamo Heights police said they traced some of the stolen items to two pawnshops. Employees picked McMahon out of a photo lineup, according to the arrest warrant.

Police said another man is suspected along with McMahon of pawning a watch and gold charms belonging to Vigini, but he has not been charged.

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Deputies: Hospice worker stole widow's jewelry - msnbc.com

Posted: 23 Sep 2010 10:16 AM PDT

TAMPA — For veteran Hillsborough County sheriff's Detective Mike Massimei, recovering stolen property is often just part of the job.

But when the 47-year-old lawman was able to return several pieces of stolen jewelry to a terminally ill 92-year-old widow, it literally brought tears to his eyes.

"I was blubbering," Massimei said.

Massimei started investigating the case on Monday. He knew there were only so many people who could have had access to the bedside dresser where the jewelry had been stored.

He narrowed his list of suspects to 27-year-old Jason Russell, an employee of Lifepath Hospice.

Investigators say on Saturday, Russell delivered hospice equipment to the elderly victim's southeastern Hillsborough County home. He asked for a drink of water, and in the seconds it took the victim's daughter-in-law to get it for him he helped himself to nearly two dozen pieces of jewelry, detectives said.

Massimei went to Russell's Brandon home at 1906 Pepperwood Place and confronted him.

"He later provided to me approximately seven to eight pieces of jewelry that he said he took from the victim," Massimei said.

Eventually Massimei said he recovered all of the stolen jewelry which included the victim's wedding ring, a mother's ring and several necklaces that were given to the victim by her husband before he died.

"Her connection to those memories was important to me," Massimei said. He took the recovered items to the victim's son in what turned out to be an emotional encounter for both men.

"I gave the son, who was also in tears and ready to hug me, I said 'take this to your mother. Let her see it,'" Massimei said.

Russell was charged Wednesday with grand theft. He was released later that day on $2,000 bail, records show.

Massimei said Russell is addicted to painkillers because of a back injury he suffered while serving in the Air Force. Russell stole the jewelry to help support his habit, according to investigators. Massimei also said Russell has never been in trouble before and seemed genuinely sorry for committing the crime.

"He expresses remorse and wanted to express to the victim in this case, which I had, how sorry he was," Massimei said. "He knew he did wrong, and he wants to work through it. He's not trying to get by it. He's trying to work through it."

6. Destinations Wedding Dresses - Salon

Posted: 30 Sep 2010 12:35 AM PDT