Ex-employee given suspended sentence for $44 000 jewellery theft

A senior counsel’s former employee who admitted stealing jewellery worth nearly $45 000 from her boss has received a suspended prison sentence and been ordered to pay $10 000 in compensation.

Rotchell Rivera Kellman of Chance Hall, St Lucy, had confessed that between August 1, 2014 and October 31, 2014, she stole three pendants valued at $6 100, two chains valued at $1 500, six rings valued at $20 000, three bracelets valued at $5 720, a bangle valued at $4 000, one piece of gold valued $350 and fifteen earrings valued $6 760, with a total value of $44,470, belonging to former senator Monique Taitt SC.

Taitt hired Kellman in August 2014, and there was a breakdown in trust, leading to her being dismissed shortly after, the court heard. Taitt later discovered in December that year that her jewellery and other items were missing. She reported the incident to the police and investigations led to a business that accepted gold for cash. Four transaction receipts were presented bearing Kellman’s ID and signature.