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PrintSpecial Report: Cleaned Out Of House And Home
Pia Hunter
"It meant a lot to me, and I knew that it was irreplaceable antique."
A $30,000 bracelet, a family heirloom her father gave to her mother, was stolen from Pia Hunter's bedroom jewelry box.
Pia Hunter
"You just feel really gross, that someone's going through your stuff."
Who could have taken it? Pia suspected a couple she hired to clean her apartment.
Pia Hunter
"They took it. They just feel whatever's there is there for the taking."
Several clues pointed to the pair, but Pia just wanted the bracelet back.
Pia Hunter
"My concern was they were going to melt it down…Time was of the essence."
So she hired private investigators, who set up a sting using tiny surveillance cameras hidden in a VCR and clock radio.
Tom Ruskin, CMP Group Investigations
"We can clearly see- she surveys the bookshelf to see what is there, and what is maybe able to be stolen easily."
The couple's background checks revealed the harsh truth.
Tom Ruskin, CMP Group Investigations
"These people were heroin addicts, they had extensive criminal records, both were felons."Pia Hunter
"I had two criminals come into my house and I really had no idea."
Private eyes say these crimes, while under-reported, happen all the time.
Larry Curran, VP, Pinkerton Investigations
"We've seen dozens of cases here in Massachusetts - Boston in particular."
It could happen with new employees working in the home, or long-time helpers.
In this footage, a nanny is caught helping herself to money that's supposed to be spent on the children she's caring for.
And even worse - a New England family taped their nanny physically abusing their kids - dropping and hitting them.
Tom Ruskin, CMP Group Investigations
"People are hiring nannies and they don't even know who's taking care of their children."
Before hiring anyone to work in your home, experts say you should have workers fill out a job application including their name, address and social security number. Do a background check. Some can be done on the Internet for $50.00, or more professionally for $500.00.
Because if something happens, it could cost big bucks to privately investigate a crime.
Larry Curran, VP, Pinkerton Investigations
"Generally you're in a $5,000 to $15,000 range when you get into these things."
As for Pia, her cleaners were caught stealing blank checks during this job. They confessed to taking her bracelet and selling it to a second hand jeweler for a fraction of its worth.
Pia Hunter
"They had stolen it, and went and did drugs with the money."
Thanks to good old-fashioned police work - the bracelet was returned to Pia - no worse for the wear.
Pia Hunter
"It's here, it's totally real, and it's back. It's just amazing, and I think my parents will be the most thrilled of all."
To find out more about background checks: