Police Arrest Health Care Companion Suspected of Stealing $63,000 Worth of Jewelry

STONE HARBOR – Stone Harbor Police were dispatched to a single family residence located on the 100 block of 100th Street for a reported theft of jewelry Sept. 7 at 5:31 p.m.
The investigating officers determined that several pieces of jewelry, valued at $63,000, had been taken from the residence.
The Stone Harbor Police Department Detective Division was notified and responded to the scene for further investigation.
Based on information gathered over the next few days, it was determined that a home health care companion, who was in the residence, was a suspect. An arrest warrant was sought for the suspect, Margaret A. Sleght, and an arrest warrant for theft was granted by Upper Township Municipal Court Judge James Birchmeier, who was covering Stone Harbor Court. Stone Harbor Detectives also applied for a search warrant of Sleght’s residence in North Cape May. The search warrant was granted by Lower Township Municipal Court Judge F. Thomas Hillegass.
On Sept. 12 at approximately 1:58 p.m.,Sleght was arrested by Stone Harbor Police Detectives at her residence in North Cape May as she arrived home from work. The search warrant was executed by Stone Harbor and Lower Township Detectives.
During the search of the residence, evidence was collected pertaining to the theft. Several items of jewelry had been sold to a local pawn shop and some of the sold jewelry had already been melted. Sleght was also found to be in possession of a quantity of opiate tablets, Suboxone, without valid prescription, resulting in criminal charges being filed by the Lower Township Police Department.
Sleght was transported to the Stone Harbor Police Department where she was processed and bail was set by Judge Birchmeier at $25,000, full cash, with no 10 percent option for the third degree crime of theft. Sleght was transported to the Cape May County Correctional Facility in lieu of bail.
This case is pending review by the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.