PINECREST, Fla. – Two Pinecrest women told police officers they came to regret trusting Rebecca Eve Kaplan, according to an arrest report released on Tuesday.
The two victims reported they hired Kaplan, 37, of Palmetto Bay, to work as a housekeeper and she stole about $10,000 in cash from them, according to police.
A detective used a national database to find 34 pages of jewelry transactions involving Kaplan, according to a police report. Among the items reported stolen was a Rolex watch valued at about $50,000.
There were also priceless items including two rings, a gold bracelet, and a necklace. The women confronted Kaplan who told them she could no longer return some of the jewelry, according to police.
Kaplan had been a regular at Value Pawn & Jewelry, at 18494 S. Dixie Highway, near Cutler Bay, and received a $3,000 loan for the Rolex and a $250 loan for a bracelet, according to police.
Thomas Mays said Kaplan worked in his house and described her as “methodical” when she stole from him and his family. He said she even stole baseball cards.
“Stealing from kids is where I draw the line,” Mays said adding he agreed with the prosecutor who said there were likely more victims.
Kaplan surrendered to police officers on Monday in Pinecrest and appeared in Miami-Dade County court on Tuesday to face two counts of grand theft, a second-degree felony.
“Mrs. Kaplan has been cooperating with the detective in this case and has also turned over items to the victims, " Attorney Andrea Lopez, who was standing in for Kaplan’s defense attorney, said in court.
Lopez added that Kaplan struggled with substance abuse. Miami-Dade County Circuit Judge Leon M. Firtel ordered Kaplan to stay away from the victims and set her bond at $8,000.
She hid her face and had nothing to say after bonding out of jail Tuesday night.
Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Carmen Cabarga was set to preside over both cases. Detectives asked anyone with information about this or other cases to call Miami-Dade County Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.