Cops: Housekeeper accused in Lynbrook, East Rockaway thefts

A Queens woman was arrested Friday evening and charged with stealing more than $16,000 worth of jewelry and cash from homes in Lynbrook and East Rockaway where she worked as a housekeeper, Nassau County police said.

Maribel Arroliga-Morales, 38, of 138th Street in Jamaica, was charged with third-degree grand larceny, fourth-degree grand larceny and petty larceny in the thefts that police said occurred between Oct. 1 and Nov. 17.

Arroliga-Morales is accused of lifting a bracelet from her Lynbrook employer valued at $1,100, police said in a news release, and two rings valued at more than $15,000 as well as cash from an East Rockaway home.

The East Rockaway victim contacted other friends who had hired Arroliga-Morales as a housekeeper and told them to check their belongings, police said. It was then that one of the friends noticed one of the stolen rings had been returned to the wrong owner and house, police said.

The victims notified police on Friday. Arroliga-Morales was placed under arrest at 7:20 p.m. at the Fourth Precinct station house in Hewlett, police said. She is scheduled to be arraigned on Saturday at First District Court in Hempstead.

Attorney information for Arroliga-Morales was not immediately available.

Detectives request that anyone who may be a victim to contact the Fourth Squad at 516-573-6453.