A husband and wife from Piscataway have been accused of stealing $45,000 in jewelry from elderly residents of a senior care home between May 2023 and February 2024, according to Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald.
The arrests of Ana Rios, 40, and her husband, Ezequiel Rios, 43, of Orchard Street, Piscataway, were announced by Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of County Detectives Francisco Roman Jr. and Bridgewater Township Chief of Police John B. Mitzak.
According to Roman, the wife worked as a housekeeper in the senior community.
Detectives attached to the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Burglary Unit began investigating jewelry goods being sold for cash in Somerset County in early January. As part of this investigation, it was discovered that two pieces of jewelry sold for cash were reported stolen by residents of the senior living home in August 2023. The inquiry revealed that further pieces of jewelry were stolen, many of which were not reported to the police.
The inquiry revealed that between May 2023 and February 2024, Ana Rios stole jewelry from residents of the senior care facility where she worked as a housekeeper. According to Roman, Rios would then turn over the stolen things to her husband to sell for cash.
The pair were detained without incident in Piscataway on April 8 and charged with third-degree theft and conspiracy to commit theft. Both defendants have been released pending a court hearing.
If you have any information about these thefts, please contact the Somerset County Prosecutors Office Burglary Unit at (908) 231-7100, the Bridgewater Township Police Department at (908) 722-4111, or the STOPit app.
Citizens can use the STOPit app to submit anonymous reports, which include videos and images.
To provide information, call the Somerset County Crime Stoppers Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS. All anonymous STOPit complaints and Crime Stopper tips remain secret.