GRAMERCY — A home health aide stole tens of thousands of dollars in cash and jewelry from an elderly Gramercy woman in her care, beginning the con just a month after she started the job, according to a police report.
Police arrested Shamira Brown, 26, of Bedford-Stuyvesant, on Jan. 27 after it came to light that between October and January she had looted more than $26,000 from the bank account of a 75-year-old whom she had been caring for since September, according to a criminal complaint.
Brown, who was tasked with helping the victim with daily tasks including shopping, banking, and housework, made more than 60 ATM withdrawals from the elderly woman’s Chase Bank account between October 15 2015 and January 14, 2016, according to police, who said they reviewed surveillance footage of the ATMs Brown used.
After her arrest Brown told officers she had made about 20 withdrawals averaging about $400 each, according to a criminal complaint.
In addition to the ATM withdrawals, Brown stole about $1,700 in jewelry from the woman, police said.
Prosecutors charged Brown with grand larceny and endangering the welfare of an incompetent or disabled person, records show. A judge initially set her bail at $5,000 but she was released without bail on Feb. 1 when prosecutors asked for more time to prepare the case, according to court records.
A lawyer for Brown did not respond to a request for comment. It's not immediately clear which company Brown worked for.
A woman who answered a phone at Brown’s home said she was not in and declined to comment on the charges.
