JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Police on Monday arrested a plumber who admitted to stealing $19,000 worth of jewelry from an elderly couple's home in the Fort Caroline area, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said.
David Seebauer, 45, is charged with grand theft.
Seebauer was working on pipes at a couple's home on Colony Cove Trail in the Fort Caroline area Sunday when he made off with jewelry inside their bedroom, police said.
Though the 82-year-old homeowner was home at the time, the loss of the jewelry wasn't noticed until his 74-year-old wife returned home from a trip.
The woman got Seebauer to return to the home to "check the pipes again."
When Seebauer arrived, police were already at the home and Seebauer eventually confessed to taking the jewelry, which included two diamond rings and two gold bracelets, according to the arrest report.
Investigators said they eventually found the missing jewelry, which had been pawned at a nearby pawn shop.
News4Jax crime and safety analyst Gil Smith said homeowners can never be too careful.
"Some people don't feel comfortable following people around, inside the home," Smith said. "But if it's your home, you should do that. In fact, some companies even ask that you're in the same room they're in, just to protect themselves."
The couple told News4Jax that they couldn't be happier with the way the company handled the situation, saying the owner of David Gray Plumbing called to check on them Monday.
"A reputable company could have a rogue employee that the company may not be aware of. So you still need to be on your guard, even if it is a reputable company," Smith said.
News4Jax also spoke with the owner of David Gray Plumbing about what happened. He said they perform background checks on all job applicants and found nothing concerning in Seebauer's history. The owner also confirmed Seebauer is no longer working there.
But by searching Duval County court records, News4Jax found that Seebauer was arrested in 2014. He pleaded guilty to grand theft and dealing in stolen property, and was sentenced to house arrest and probation.