Caregiver at Shorewood assisted living facility charged with stealing from resident

A 54-year-old woman from Orland Park is charged with stealing from a resident at an assisted living center in Shorewood.

At 1:40 p.m. Monday, Shorewood police officers responded to a call at an assisted living facility in the 1100 block of North River Road in Shorewood, according to a news release from the Shorewood Police Department.

Police were told before officers arrived that a caregiver had potentially stolen items from an elderly resident and was attempting to flush stolen items down a toilet, according to the release.

The caregiver confined herself to the facility’s bathroom to “evade the police and dispose of stolen property,” according to the release.

When police were escorted to the facility’s women’s bathroom, they found 54-year-old Maryln C. Villalobos of Orland Park attempting to flush jewelry that belonged to a resident of the facility, according to the release.

Shorewood police recovered some items from the toilet, which the victim and facility staff identified, according to the release.

Police then arrested Villalobos and transported her to the Shorewood Police Department for booking, according to the release.

While at the Shorewood Police Department, Villalobos requested to use the bathroom on multiple occasions.

“After the bathroom was inspected and searched before being used, Villalobos attempted to flush more stolen proceeds, specifically cash, down the toilet,” according to the release.

Police recovered the cash, and the victim later determined that Villalobos had taken the money, according to the release.

Villalobos was charged with financial exploitation of the elderly, residential burglary, burglary, theft, and obstructing a peace officer, according to the release.

She was transported to the Will County Adult Detention Facility, according to the release.