Police: Home health aide stole $2,000 from Old Lyme resident
[naviga:img class="img-responsive" alt="Heidi Crowley" src="/Assets/news2015/0227DayCrowley.JPG"/]
Heidi Crowley
Old Lyme — Police on Feb. 18 charged a Westbrook home health care assistant with larceny after she allegedly made numerous withdrawals and cash-back transactions without the permission of a resident she was caring for, according to police.
Heidi S. Crowley, 53, of Westbrook, was charged on a warrant with third-degree larceny and credit card fraud.
According to the arrest warrant affidavit, the resident’s neighbors, who have power of attorney over the resident’s finances, called police after they noticed a steady increase in withdrawals from the resident’s bank account as well as cash-back transactions at Big Y.
The resident, the affidavit notes, said Crowley had worked for her for about five years and was entrusted with errands such as grocery shopping.
The neighbors went first to Essex Savings Bank, then to Big Y to track down copies of questionable transactions. What they found at Big Y, the affidavit states, was that Crowley had made numerous cash-back transactions that were under her name but used the resident’s bank account.
In a written statement, Crowley told police she had worked for the resident for eight years providing personal care, cooking, cleaning, shopping and transportation to doctors’ appointments. Crowley said she was authorized to use the resident’s credit card and ATM card to make purchases and write checks to family members.
Crowley also said the resident sometimes asked her to take extra money out for “dinner and other activities,” the affidavit states. Crowley told police she didn’t keep any money for herself but did keep the money in her purse when en route to pick up items for the resident.
According to the affidavit, six cash-back transactions between June 30 and Aug. 11, which totaled $500, were unauthorized.
Additionally, the affidavit states, 13 cash withdrawals from Essex Savings Bank weren’t authorized. Those transactions, which occurred between July 16, 2015, and July 20, 2016, totaled $1,500.
According to the affidavit, no one other than the resident and Crowley had access to the resident’s ATM card.
Crowley, who posted a $1,500 bond, is scheduled to be arraigned in New London Superior Court March 6.
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