A babysitter in north suburban Chicago took advantage of her job to rummage through homes, steal valuables and sell them on Facebook Marketplace, police said.
Darissa A. Chavarria, 22, faces felony theft charges after police in Lake Forest and Lake Bluff said she used her position as a babysitter to victimize families, police said.
"We commend the victims who came forward to report these thefts," said Lake Forest Police Chief John Burke. "Many people hesitate to report theft, but victims coming forward is essential. It helps us recover stolen property and prevent future crimes."
Police began investigating in January allegations that Chavarria had taken jewelry, handbags, and clothes from homes in Lake Forest and Lake Bluff where she had babysat. The taken items were allegedly being listed on Facebook Marketplace.
"Because moms talk in our cozy community, they found out who else was using her as a babysitter, and one of our residents did a little looking at home and realized hey we've been missing some things," Lake Bluff Police Department Deputy Chief Erik Gehrke told WLS-TV.
Gehrke said that some families then began seeing their missing items being sold on Facebook Marketplace.
"The family they had noticed some things had gone missing, but never suspected the babysitter, until another family saw the items on marketplace, so it's something you might not see everyday and realize it's a slow crime," Gehrke told the station.
In one instance, a homeowner reported about $10,000 worth of missing items. In another case, a homeowner listed missing valuables at about $1,700.
"If you previously hired Chavarria as a babysitter, we encourage you to check your valuables. If you believe you may be a victim of theft, please contact your local police department," police stated.
