posted on October 2, 2007 07:36:27 AM new
This happened back in March but I hadn't heard of it elsewhere. The seller has quite an attitude...check it out!
posted on October 2, 2007 09:00:59 AM new
This was a hot topic on the ebay boards when it was happening. Some people were in contact with the lady and were bidding in order to win and return the items to their owner. I don't remember many details except the lady had all her faculties intact, which makes it doubly sad, and it took ebay too long to naru the thief.
posted on October 2, 2007 09:03:00 AM new
http://www.wpxi.com/target11/13226278/detail.html
eBay Community Comes To Aid Of Local Woman
Items Sold By Niece Returned To Elderly Aunt
Karen Welles, Target 11 Investigator
POSTED: 5:17 pm EDT April 30, 2007
UPDATED: 7:06 pm EDT April 30, 2007
PITTSBURGH -- According to Pittsburgh Police, Robin McKitrick faces serious criminal charges in connection with forging her aunt Betty Ranallo's name on checks worth $5,000.
Pittsburgh police have charged McKitrick with eight counts of forgery and identity theft and one count of theft by unlawful taking.
Last month Target 11’s Karen Welles reported about 81-year-old Ranallo. The elderly woman has been in a nursing home since suffering a stroke a couple of years ago.
Ranallo found out that her niece, McKitrick, had been selling her prized possessions, including Lenox crystal cats, on eBay without her permission.
Complete strangers who saw Betty's story responded overwhelmingly.
One woman sent her a dozen red roses, another a pin with her name on it.
She has also gotten many cards from all across the county.
After Target 11’s first story on McKitrick, she changed her eBay user name from ‘robinKspoor’ to ‘gotohelloldlady’.
That sent eBay users into a frenzy and some who bought Ranallo's cats from McKitrick sent them back to Ranallo.
Pittsburgh police investigated and accused McKitrick of taking more than crystal statues from her aunt.
They've charged her with forging Ranallo's name on $5,200 in betty's checks made out to cash or to McKitrick herself.
McKitrick’s attorney, Michael Seymour, told Target 11’s Welles, “My client is innocent and this is just the beginning of the process, so we'll see where it ends up."
Ranallo has mixed feelings about the incident, She told Welles, “In some ways I’m very glad about it and in other ways I feel bad because it's a family member. You know you hate to do things to family members, cause them problems, but she brought it on herself."
McKitrick waived her right to a hearing. Her next court appearance is scheduled for July. In the meantime she is free on bail.
[ edited by zippy2dah on Oct 2, 2007 09:04 AM ]
posted on October 2, 2007 11:12:27 AM new
zippy, thanks for posting a followup.
I loved the expression on the niece's face when they caught her on camera.
I had a similar situation with a neighbor. She had an elderly friend she would care for on occasion. When the friend ended up in a nursing home, to all intents and purposes non compos mentis, my neighbor started helping herself to the elderly woman's lifetime accumulation of antiques and collectibles, selling them at local shows. The last I heard of the matter my neighbor was under investigation by county officials.
What's really odd is that the neighbor told me all this herself, with lots of self-serving justifications for what she did.
posted on October 2, 2007 11:52:32 AM new
From my neck of the woods: Remember Elizabeth Logan, the first grade teacher who stole a girl's jacket and sold it on eBay? They're charging her with second degree theft and she's going to have a jury trial at the end of the month. http://www.katu.com/news/9718697.html
posted on October 2, 2007 01:05:05 PM new
I don't understand it either but I believe that there is a special place in hell for people who steal from old folks and an extra special place in hell for those who steal from old folks who are family.
I remember the coat stealing teacher. She's a real peach.
