Crafty domestic worker steals from family

A local family lost thousands of rand of possessions when a woman the mother had recently employed plundered the house. On Friday a domestic worker made off with residents in Van Der Merwe Street’s possessions.

Angie Steeles (24), a teacher of Barberton, said the worker, presenting herself as Miriam, approached the family home on Saturday October 10 and said she was in search of work.

“The woman was very polite and had an excellent command of English. She mentioned familiar places and people where she is already employed and I now realise we should have made inquiries, but as it is, especially in a small town, we merely believed that she was as good as her word.”
This trust came at a great cost in the end.

The domestic worker arrived as per agreement on Friday before 07:00. After being told by Steeles’ mother to wait until she got home at 13:00 so they could sort out the papers for her payslip, she was showed by both women where to find everything and also what was expected of her. She wasted no time and started work immediately.

“We all left for our respective jobs, my mother, my brother (36) and I. My dad is a pensioner and stayed at home,” she said.
After her father had had breakfast, he got busy in his workshop at the back of the house. He also took the family’s three Jack Russells with him since they were very antagonistic towards the worker.

He went into the house every hour or so, and found the woman busy working each time. Angie said her dad later told them that he thought it strange that the door of his daughter’s bedroom was closed the whole time, but dismissed this nagging thought and went about his business.

At about 10:00 Angie made a call to her father’s cell phone.
“The phone was answered both times I called, but no one spoke. I thought it was because it was new and my father still had to get used to this new technology. I called the landline and after a second attempt my dad answered. I wanted to know why he answered his cell phone and then kept quiet. He said it was in his drawer,” she said.
They became suspicious at this point and after further investigation, her dad found every entrance to the house open, even the gate that provided access to the street.

“My room was ransacked. Everything I owned was gone. All my clothes, jewellery, perfume, shoes and everything from USBs to sunglasses! I have nothing left – she even took the weekend bags out of my top cupboard.”

The family’s cheese, meat and other groceries as well as all the washing powder, toothpaste, soap and a carton of cigarettes were gone. Apart from this, five new pairs of Reebok sandals of Angie’s mother were also stolen as well as her brother’s new iPhone and watch. Furthermore cell phones, old and new, as well as a myriad of the family’s possessions were taken. It was only in Angie’s room where total chaos prevailed.

“The police were on the scene quickly, but she was so clever that she left no fingerprints. Even the family’s fingerprints were wiped clean.”

It is thought that this woman is the same one who had taken a cellphone and R600 cash from another Barbertonian a week earlier. She then introduced herself as Margaret. It was also her first day of work and while her employer was in the shower, she made off with the phone and cash.

Angie described the suspect as in her late 30s or early 40s, about 1,7 metres tall, dark complexion with a straight black wig in a bob hairstyle. The family have reason to believe that she might has an accomplice who presents himself as a gardener. It is also believed that, apart from Miriam and Margaret, she also uses the pseudonym Fiona.

Speaking to Barberton Times, a livid Steeles said she had a message for this villain. “I know you will read this b**ch. You might have been clever enough to remove your fingerprints, but I will remember your face. You are not intelligent, you are crafty. This is a warning. Now the whole community knows about you and this time you angered the wrong family!”