A 22-year-old caregiver, Corine Mukes, has been arrested on allegations of stealing jewelry valued at more than $82,000 from an elderly couple's home in Cordova, as reported by the Shelby County Sheriff's Office. The theft reportedly occurred between July 4 and July 11, and Mukes is suspected of pawning the items at various Cash America pawn shop locations.
WREG's coverage of the incident detailed that the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office responded to a theft report on Spruce Grove Lane, where seven pieces of jewelry had been identified as missing. The lost items carried an estimated worth of $82,025. Mukes, who a Mid-South in-home care company employed, was charged with theft of property valued between $60,000 and $250,000 and financial exploitation of an elderly person.
Investigators took to North Watkins, searching for Muke's residence, where additional stolen jewelry and items belonging to the victims were discovered, as stated by WREG. Mukes was found hiding in the house and arrested without further incident. Some of the missing jewelry was also retrieved from the Cash America shops, indicating a trail of the alleged theft.
A report by FOX13 Memphis added that Mukes is currently being held at the Shelby County Jail, with the bond set at $40,000. The theft has underscored a troubling breach of trust, particularly as caregivers are placed within the intimate confines of a home, tasked with the well-being of vulnerable individuals. The sheer value of the items taken punctuates an all-too-familiar narrative of those positioned to protect taking advantage instead.
Additional information furnished by Citizen Tribune highlighted the specific timeframe of the theft, with the speculation that it began on Independence Day. This case remains under investigation by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, as they continue to unravel the breadth of the theft and work toward recovery of all stolen items.
