Caretaker In MWC Accused Of Stealing Jewelry From 93-Year-Old Woman

A caretaker is facing criminal charges for stealing from a 93-year-old dementia patient.

Reginal Antonie Lewis, 32, was arrested for stealing a diamond ring from a woman living at the Arbor House in Midwest City. Lewis did not work for the Arbor House, but was contracted by Sooner Medical Staffing to work at the facility in October.

According to court records, he was assigned to work the Memory Care Unit while at the facility. His alleged victim, Pauline Bilke, has memory problems and did not realize her ring was stolen.

Bilke's daughter, Joyce Honey, visits her mother twice a day, and immediately noticed the diamond ring had been replaced with a hoop earring.

"I said ‘Mother, what happened to your ring?' And she immediately said, ‘Oh, see my new ring?'" said Honey as she explained the ring is difficult to get on and off.

Knowing that her mother could not do it on her own, she suspected someone had intentionally removed the ring. She called the Midwest City Police Department. And Detective Darrell Miller opened an investigation and identified Lewis as a possible suspect.

Lewis was arrested at Sooner Medical Staffing and subsequently admitted to working at the facility when the ring disappeared. According to reports, Lewis denied stealing the rings, but Miller discovered Lewis pawned two rings at a shop in Del City.

When investigators questioned Lewis about the items he pawned, he allegedly told officers he found the rings at a gas station.

During the investigation, detectives were able to identify one of them as Bilke's ring. The other ring belonged to another patient at the Arbor House.

Lewis is now charged with the exploitation of an elderly person and making a false declaration of ownership to a pawn shop.

Sooner Medical Staffing, the company responsible for placing Lewis at the assisted living center, did not return our calls in time for this report.

Meanwhile, Honey is relieved her mother will get the ring back.