Couple wanted in jewelry thefts at retirement community

A Gig Harbor handyman has been charged with stealing jewelry from elderly residents of a senior citizens residence.

Ron Talley and Paula Stockbridge have gotten back the engagement ring stolen from their home at the Lakes at Gig Harbor.

"I just, I could hardly breathe," said Stockbridge. "I could not believe it. You just don't hear very often that jewelry is recovered.

A Pierce County sheriff's detective tracked the ring down after Talley showed them a cellphone picture of it.

"And within two days we heard from him, they had located it. I was astonished," said Talley.

They're the lucky ones.
   
Investigators say several other residents have had valuables stolen by a former handyman, Russell Grover.
  
According to charges filed against the 33-year-old Grover, while working as a handyman at the Lakes he used keys he had made to go into people's homes, taking jewelry and other valuables that were later pawned by his accomplice, 33-year-old Adrienne Van Arsdale.
  
Now both face charges of burglary and trafficking in stolen property.

"Both of these people know that we're looking for them and they're on the run," said Pierce County sheriff's Detective Ed Troyer. "That's why we're looking for the public's help to get them caught and hold them accountable."

Crime Stoppers of Tacoma and Pierce County is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest of Grover and Van Arsdale.

"He needs to suffer the consequences," Stockbridge said.

Stockbridge said she hopes the two are caught and brought to justice.