Saturday, August 15, 2009

County Cuts Ties With Public Guardian

The board of commissioners is looking to fill the recently-vacated Arenac County Public Guardian position after officially reporting it will not return Sherilyn Jones, the suspended public guardian, to the position.

Jones’ office is under investigation for criminal activity by the Michigan State Police and in the process of being audited by the Michigan Treasury Department. Board Chairman Raymond Daniels says neither the investigation nor audit is complete yet, but that the board felt compelled to act.

Daniels : “We found enough evidence that we feel comfortable saying at this time that she won’t be returning to work. The [Teamsters] union has been notified that we will not be bringing her back. ... We’re at the point of time that we have to move forward.”

Full Article and Source:
County cuts ties with Public Guardian, begins search for new one

More information:
Arenac County leaders replacing public guardian, probe continues

State performing audit on public guardian office

Sherilyn Jones is registered with Center for Guardianship Certification , an allied foundation of the National Guardianship Association (NGA)

Redlands Courthouse to Close

The Redlands courthouse could soon be as empty.
A news release by Superior Court officials says the courthouse will be closed as of Oct. 12.

The courthouse has been handling the county's probate cases - cases dealing with the estates and conservatorships of people who have died.

Judge Larry Allen said San Bernardino Superior Court chose to close the courthouse because of a budget crunch.

Filings for probate cases will move to the Probate Division of the Clerk's office at 303 W. Third St., San Bernardino. All filings for traffic matters will move to the San Bernardino Central Courthouse, 351 N. Arrowhead Ave., San Bernardino.

Full Article and Source:
Redlands courthouse to close, future of facility to remain with court

Attorney Faces Charges

Formal charges were brought against Peter Thew June 5 in the Nebraska Supreme Court.

The charges, filed by the Council for Discipline of the Nebraska Supreme Court, include five counts of misconduct in five separate cases.

The second count alleges that Thew failed to file proper documents and pay bills in 2007 on behalf of Luana Grey. Thew had been named guardian and conservator of Grey, who was awarded a settlement in excess of $414,000 in a tort against the makers of the diet drug Fen Phen. Thew reportedly failed to pay more than $130,000 from Grey’s account to Medicare, who had a subrogation claim against the settlement. Thew also failed to pay lesser bills, according to the charges. He was removed as guardian and conservator of Grey in April 2008 after he twice failed to appear at hearings or respond with court filings as to why he should not be removed.
Even after his removal, Thew failed to file an accounting of Grey’s funds with the court.

Count three alleged that Thew mishandled the affairs of Marilyn Hawley, of whom he was also named guardian and conservator. From 2006 until 2007 the charge claimed that Thew failed to pay bills or deposit checks on behalf of his client. He reportedly also failed to pay funeral costs after Hawley passed away February 1, 2007.Thew told the court that he could not locate Hawley’s heirs. However, the charges maintained that Thew in fact had the addresses of all four of Hawley’s living children. Thew did not notify Hawley’s heirs of his motion to pay her funds into the court.

Full Article and Source:
Doyle attorney Thew faces charges

Friday, August 14, 2009

Guardian Pleads Guilty

A Twin Falls woman, who was charged with abuse and neglect of a vulnerable adult, entered a guilty plea in district court. Cindy Laws was a member of Twin Falls County 'Board Of Community Guardians' and was a court appointed guardian.

A plea agreement was reached that says Laws could get two to five years with retained jurisdiction. Plus, the state seeks restitution for five individuals including one woman, whom Laws allegedly took more than $6,000 from while being her guardian.

Laws could face a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine. Her restitution hearing is set for September 11th and sentencing will be on September 28th at 3:30 pm.

Full Article and Source:
Laws takes plea deal for charges related to abuse/neglect of vulnerable adults

More information:
Court-appointed caretaker accused of more crimes

See also:
Guardian Accused of Exploitation

Man Squandered Nearly $1M

Canada - A "calculating and callous" Ottawa man found guilty of putting the life of an elderly man at risk by allowing him to live in squalor received a precedent-setting jail sentence Tuesday.

Calling Daniel Jacques Chartrand's conduct a "clear case of serious elder abuse," Ontario Superior Court Justice Denis Power sentenced the 39-year-old to 12 months behind bars, believed to be the stiffest penalty handed down to someone convicted of failing to provide the necessities of life to an elderly person.

However, after receiving credit for time already served in custody, Chartrand will only have 87 days of the sentence left to serve.

Chartrand was found guilty in April following a 12-day trial that heard evidence of how he left 76-year-old retired federal public servant Harry Matthews to wallow in his own feces while squandering nearly $1 million of the man's assets on luxury cars and travel abroad.

In his decision, Power said he was "restrained" from giving Chartrand more time for the crime because of legal precedent set out in similar cases and sentencing principles laid out in law.

Full Article and Source:
Elder abuse: Ottawa caregiver leaves retiree in squalor, squanders $1M and nets 12 months in jail

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Man Sues Judge in Guardianship Case

A Columbus man has filed suit asking the Muscogee County Superior Court to force Probate Judge Julia Lumpkin and her chief clerk to carry out their assigned duties.

The petition for writ of mandamus — a court order that requires another court, government official, public body, corporation or individual to perform a certain act — was filed on behalf of a man on July 10 after repeated attempts to get the probate judge’s office to deal with his request to have his guardianship changed, according to the suit.

According to the suit:

More than 20 years ago, the man’s mother was appointed her son’s guardian by Probate Judge Rudy Jones.

Last November, the mother filed a petition with the Probate Court to resign as guardian and have another guardian appointed.

Lumpkin, because of a relationship with the family, recused herself and appointed Probate Court Chief Clerk Marc D’Antonio as the hearing officer.

According to the suit, the Probate Court has not done the following:

• Lumpkin has not entered a written order documenting her decision to recuse herself.

• Lumpkin has not entered a written order appointing a hearing officer.

• Lumpkin has failed to appoint a county administrator as required by state law. The county administrator would act as guardian if another guardian could not be found.

Full Article and Source:
Columbus man sues Judge Lumpkin, chief clerk

Constitution Applies to Famous People Too

Last week it was reported by the AP that Petersen/Allred's case which was successful in the OC county superior court appointing a guardian ad litem had been overturned. Reuters and others jumped on the bandwagon to say it was only a temporary stay because her case to be heard on the 20th to dismiss the case altogether had not occurred yet.Well, turns out neither got it totally right.

The appeals court ruled that Suleman's Constitutional rights had been violated. AND, here's the most interesting part: On the 27th Petersen admitted he didn't have the evidence needed to have the court appoint a fiduciary guardian at the time, which is the reason why they changed their request to have a GAL appointed to do the work they THOUGHT needed to be done.

What were their thoughts based on? INTERNET ARTICLES. Yes, you read correctly.

Paul Petersen with Gloria Allred in tow filed a petition to have a guardian appointed over the octuplets solely due to the "evidence" they had garnered off the Internet. They didn't even take the time to obtain the authenticated contracts or "evidence". Apparently they went in there (as the appeals judge wrote) thinking they needed to be listened to because they had "evidence" and the court just better listen to them.

Here is an article in layman's terms:
http://www.metnews.com/articles/2009/8mom081209.htm

Here is the actual appeals court ruling:
http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/opinions/nonpub/G042399.PDF

Hows that for an appeals court ruling concerning a prominent case being handled by "the most famous female attorney in the country"? (per her own bio on her own website)

Yes folks, our Constitution applies even to those who the gossip outlets, the Internet, and even Gloria Allred and Paul Petersen have attempted to lynch.

Glory be to our Constitution.

From a NASGA reader
Is Hammond or Isn't He?

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Appeal to Reinstate Lawsuit

Rhode Island’s child advocate asked a federal appeals court to reinstate a lawsuit that seeks an overhaul of the state’s foster-care system.

A federal judge earlier this year had dismissed the complaint, which alleged systemic abuse and neglect of some of the roughly 3,000 children in state custody.

The lawsuit, which sought class-action status, named 10 children as plaintiffs. Because minors cannot bring federal lawsuits on their own, Rhode Island Child Advocate Jametta Alston and Children’s Rights, a national advocacy group, appointed a group of adults to represent the children’s interests in court.

But US District Judge Ronald Lagueux dismissed the suit in April, saying the adults did not have close enough relationships with the children to act on their behalf.

Alston and Children’s Rights appealed to the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, in Boston.

Full Article and Source:
Advocate seeks to revive R.I. foster-care lawsuit

See also:
Judge Dismissed Suit

Date Set in Mandamus Lawsuit Case

Oral arguments concerning the budget dispute between Probate Judge Mark Belinky and the Mahoning County commissioners will be at 9 a.m. Sept. 25 at the 5th District Court of Appeals, 110 Central Plaza, Canton.

Judge Belinky filed a mandamus lawsuit in the 7th District Court of Appeals in support of his demand for a $915,715 operating budget for this year from the county’s general fund.

The probate judge filed the lawsuit after the commissioners allocated only $694,833 from that fund to his court for this year — an amount Judge Belinky said was insufficient for proper court operations.

Speaking only for himself, Judge Joseph J. Vukovich, presiding judge of the 7th District Court of Appeals, said he would be fair and impartial.

However, he noted that Mahoning County supplies most of his court’s budget and said he removed himself from this case to avoid any questions about political influence over the appellate court.

Full Article and Source:
Hearing date set in budget dispute

See also:
Officials Disturbed by Lawsuit

Governor Celebrates Reform

Governor M. Jodi Rell today celebrated legislation she spearheaded that makes historic and necessary reforms and modernizations to Connecticut’s 300-year-old probate court system, making the courts self-sustaining and more efficient through consolidation and centralized accounting while introducing new professional standards.

Effective January 5, 2011, the old revenue system – largely funded by fees and approximately $2.5 million in state aid each year – will be replaced with one based on population and workload in which a judge’s compensation will be paid directly from a Probation Court Administration Fund overseen by the state Treasurer.

The new law requires the Treasurer to give the Governor and the Legislature a financial accounting of the Probate Court Administration Fund by October 1 of each year.

Other provisions of the bill include:

* Consolidating courts from 117 to between 44 and 50 courts – Redistricting will be recommended by a bi-partisan commission if the current probate judges cannot agree on the final number of courts
* Centralizing accounting and payroll functions in the Office of the Probate Court Administrator
* Requiring courts to operate 40 hours a week
* All new judges will be attorneys, members in good standing with the Connecticut Bar for not less than 10 years and residents of their districts
* Judges would continue to be elected

Full Article and Source:
Governor Rell celebrates legislation reforming state’s 300-year-old probate court system

See also:
117 Probate Courts Reduced

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Another Custody Battle?

MICHAEL JACKSON's estate is facing another challenge for custody of the pop superstar's three children from a woman who alleges she was married to the singer and is the kids' biological mother. Claire Elisabeth Fields Cruise has filed three petitions for guardianship of Prince Michael, 12, Paris, 11, and seven-year-old Prince Michael II, aka Blanket.

According to TMZ.com, Cruise states in her legal papers, "I am the biological mother of Prince Michael Jackson II and all of his siblings."

Full Article and Source:
JACKSON FAMILY FACE ANOTHER BIZARRE CUSTODY CHALLENGE

More information:

Attorneys for Katherine Jackson and Michael Jackson’s estate were in court on Monday handling matters relating to the singer’s fortune and two women with various maternity claims also showed up creating a media circus. One, who calls herself Billie Jean Jackson, and the other, Claire Elisabeth Fields Cruise – who believes she’s the mother of Tom Cruise’s son – both showed up in the courtroom at the Los Angeles Superior Court. During the middle of the estate hearing, Billie Jean stood up and said, “I’m Blanket’s mother,” referring to Jackson’s youngest son, Prince Michael II.
Jackson Estate Hearing Turns Into 3-Ring Circus

A Los Angeles judge is considering whether there should be a special guardian appointed to represent Michael Jackson's three children in financial matters relating to the singer's estate, says a new report.
Latest: Judge Considers Special Guardianship for Jackson's Children

See also:
Michael Jackson - Guardianship

Daughters Sue For Guardianship

Istanbul - Seven daughters of financially troubled businessman Halis Toprak have filed a legal petition over their father's recent marriage to 17-year-old Nazlıcan Tağızade, who is even younger than some of his grandchildren, demanding that he be placed under legal guardianship.

Claiming that the marriage has turned into a media farce, daughters Aynur Toprak, Şükran Toprak, Ayfer Toprak, Mine Toprak, Ayla Zengin Toprak, Aysel Duruk and Sevgi Toprak explained in the petition:

“Toprak's debt repayment program with the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund [TMSF] could not be processed [due to the marriage]. Halis Toprak was described in the media as a powerless and miserable man and was likened to the famous movie character ‘Züğürt Ağa.' On the grounds that he will be unable to manage Toprak Holding and will be unable to fulfill his obligations to the TMSF, we felt the need to ask for his placement under guardianship in order for him not to fall into more difficult and dangerous situations and in order to protect him against imminent danger.”

While Toprak's daughters strongly oppose the marriage and are requesting that he be placed under legal guardianship, his sons Ahmet and Mehmet Toprak said in a written statement that their father is sane and capable of managing his business interests. Noting that they were surprised by their sisters' petition, they further stated that Toprak Holding is not indebted to the TMSF.

Full Article and Source:
Daughters of 'Züğürt Ağa' sue to place him under guardianship

Monday, August 10, 2009

Grandmother Gets Temporary Custody

Renee Pernice's mother has been granted temporary custody of the Pernice family's two children.

A judge granted the temporary custody to Renee's mother, Linda Lockwood. Pernice has been missing since January and is presumed to be dead.

All parties involved in the hearing agreed with the arrangement, including Renee's husband, Shon Pernice, who is in jail on a separate charge. Renee's parents filed a motion for emergency custody of the couple's two sons following Shon's arrest.

The judge has asked that a child advocate look into the situation.

Full Article and Source:
Grandmother Gets Temporary Custody Of Pernice Kids



More information:
Missing Northland Mother's Family Gets Custody of Grandchildren

Renee Pernice's Mom Gets Custody Of Kids

Seminar Series

CARES will kick off a series of five seminars on legal and financial planning on Tuesday, Aug. 11.

Experts advise people to prepare for the future today and communicate their wishes to loved ones, CARES spokeswoman Caryl Melancon explained in a press release. The seminars will help them navigate the legal process.

Each of the monthly sessions is scheduled for 10 a.m. until noon Tuesdays at the CARES Rao Musunuru, M.D., Enrichment Center, 12417 Clock Tower Parkway.

At the first seminar Aug. 11, attorney Gregory Gay will present an "Overview of Health Care Advanced Directives" while Trust Officer Theresa Brock will discuss "Trust Services During Incapacity."

The topics for other seminars will include:

• Sept. 8 - Durable power of attorney, planning for pets and avoiding guardianship with a trust.

• Oct. 13 - Mental health proceedings and guardianship and protecting seniors from elder abuse.

• Nov. 10 - Medicaid nursing home assistance and long term care alternatives.

• Dec. 8 - Florida wills and trusts, and avoiding probate with a trust.

Reservations are strongly urged for all seminars by calling CARES at 727-862-9291, ext. 224.

Full Article and Source:
CARES to launch seminar series

Inside The Courtroom

From tedium to trauma. From belligerent defiance to tearful acceptance. From victims of circumstance to chronic lawbreakers. From those down-on-their-luck to those lucky to be alive. From handcuffed felons to family members protecting loved ones.

Nothing is ever predictable in a court of law.

Ann Carrott, a district court judge for the Seventh Judicial District: “We deal with people who have a lot of issues. Their behavior can be bizarre.”

Judge David Battey : “You get so used to the abnormal that it’s not abnormal to you anymore.”

But there is one thing that the judges can always count on in the courtroom – there is no such thing as typical.

Full Article and Source:
A look inside the courtroom

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Cashing In On Kids

A Watchdog Report
By Raquel Rutledge of the Journal Sentinel

The newspaper spent four months investigating the $340 million taxpayer-financed child-care system known as Wisconsin Shares and uncovered a trail of phony companies, fake reports and shoddy oversight.

The program was designed to give low-wage working parents assistance with child care, encouraging them to get and keep jobs, rather than stay on welfare. While the need in many of the 34,000 cases is genuine, the system allows child-care providers and parents to easily con the system, capitalizing on children for public cash.

The Journal Sentinel focused on the five Wisconsin counties with the highest number of subsidized child-care recipients - Milwaukee, Dane, Racine, Kenosha and Brown counties.

Among the findings:

• Counties accept almost anything as proof of employment for parents seeking child-care assistance. Notes from employers, phone conversations, checks stubs - all of which are easily fabricated - serve as sufficient proof. As a result payments are sometimes approved based on bogus jobs.

• Caseworkers sign off on child-care arrangements that defy the imagination. In one instance, child-care funding was approved for 85 hours a week even when children were in school all day. If the statements were to be believed, the children would almost never be home. In another case, a woman was granted child-care assistance to work 236 of 238 days, including the day she gave birth to her seventh child.

• Regulators seldom revoke licenses for fraud and are slow to act even when they have strong evidence. In at least two cases, government officials suspected that providers were falsifying documents for three years before finally moving to shut down the child-care operations. Prosecutors have filed only one child-care fraud case in the past five years.
Child-care scams rake in thousands

The Journal Sentinel spent four months investigating the $340 million taxpayer-supported program and uncovered an array of costly problems - including fraud. But the investigation also revealed a system rife with lax regulations that have paved the way for abuse by parents and providers.

Consider:

• Sisters or other relatives can stay home, swap kids and receive taxpayer dollars. The four Racine sisters took in as much as $540,000 in taxpayer dollars in less than three years, mostly to watch each other's kids.

• Rules allow parents to be employed by child-care providers and enroll their children at the same place. At some centers, children of employees make up the majority of kids in day care. In one Milwaukee location, an employer and parents are accused of teaming up to bilk the system out of more than $360,000.

• Child-care subsidy recipients have been allowed to work for almost any type of business. Payments were made when moms claimed to work ironing a man's shirts, drying fruit and selling artwork they made during art class.

• The government pays for child care while parents sleep. Counties have no way to monitor whether parents are actually sleeping while their kids are in day care.
Child care loopholes lead to easy money

In addition to posing a potential safety risk to the state's neediest children, some criminals appear to be conning the child-care system, doctoring attendance records, the Journal Sentinel found. It's difficult to gauge the full scope of child abusers in the system because even when police and child-welfare workers find substantiated cases, not all abusers are criminally charged. And when they have been charged, many of the details are considered private information. To tell this story, the Journal Sentinel reviewed thousands of pages of public documents and obtained from sources dozens of additional documents that state and county regulators refused to release.
Child-care providers with criminal past getting licenses, state funds

State legislators called for a series of new reforms to the state's troubled child-care program, including a measure that would ban certain criminals from getting into the child-care business and collecting public funds. The action came in response to a Journal Sentinel story that detailed how the state allows criminals to become child-care providers and receive hundreds of thousands of dollars from the taxpayer-supported Wisconsin Shares program.
Legislators press for ban on criminal child-care providers

State regulators misspent nearly $20 million in taxpayer-supported child-care funds in 2008, according to estimates in a state audit released Friday.

The Legislative Audit Bureau's examination of the Wisconsin Shares child-care program found fraud and other problems in dozens of cases.
State audit finds nearly $20 million in fraud

A Milwaukee woman known as the "day care pimp" was sentenced to five years in prison Monday for bilking the state's taxpayer-funded child-care program out of at least $369,000.
Woman gets 5 years for child-care fraud

Nicole Brown, a felon with ties to Milwaukee crime boss Michael Lock, has been operating Jasmine's Learning House and collecting hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars for more than a year after her conviction.
Day care provider linked to crime boss loses license

A Wisconsin woman accused of scamming the state's taxpayer-funded child care program out of more than $100,000 now faces felony theft charges, in one of the largest cases of its kind in state history.
State caregiver accused in $100,000 scam

Several years before she opened her Milwaukee day care center, Shalanda Lock went by the name "Pleasure." Police and prosecutors say she danced in strip clubs and sold sex across the Midwest. And she isn't the only day care provider with ties to convicted crime boss Michael Lock.
Crime family reaps child-care cash

A Kenosha County child-care provider whose fraudulent activity was detailed in a Journal Sentinel series this year is back in business - billing the state for more than $1,400 in recent weeks
Suspect child-care business gets more state cash

State regulators are launching a series of public hearings around the state seeking input from child care providers, parents, government workers and other stakeholders to help curb fraud in the state's day care system.
State regulators to hold public hearings on child care reform

Those who seek city zoning approval to operate child-care centers in Milwaukee would face a higher level of scrutiny under a resolution recommended Friday.
City focuses on child care

The mother of the infant girl who died Sunday appears to have provided Milwaukee County with bogus employment information to qualify six of her children for taxpayer-funded child care. Two of the kids don't even live in Wisconsin. The cost to taxpayers: more than $1,300 per week.
Mother of dead baby is subject of child-care probe

Gov. Jim Doyle has repeatedly said he plans to link the quality of a day care to the amount the center receives in taxpayer funded child-care subsidies. But a closer look at his proposed budget by the Journal Sentinel shows it won't happen in the next two years, if ever.
Day care incentive absent from Doyle's budget

The Joint Legislative Audit Committee voted unanimously Thursday to launch a full-scope audit of Wisconsin Shares, a major move designed to combat fraud within the $340 million taxpayer-funded child-care system.
Audit of child care subsidy program wins backing

Gov. Jim Doyle plans today to unveil sweeping changes to the state's taxpayer-funded child-care system, including a new rating system that requires providers to meet specific standards to qualify for payments.
Doyle plans child-care reform

The state has overpaid day care providers at least $13.7 million in recent years - including millions of dollars spent on bogus child care that was never delivered, according to the state's own records.
Millions down the drain

Gov. Jim Doyle on Wednesday unveiled the first part of his plan to bolster oversight of the state's taxpayer-funded child-care system - pushing a requirement that parents use swipe cards to electronically log their children in and out of day care centers.
Doyle unveils day care oversight

Racine County child-care regulators turned over two cases to the district attorney's office on Tuesday for possible criminal fraud charges inside the Wisconsin Shares program.
Charges possible in Racine County child-care cases

The Racine County Sheriff's Department will take over child-care fraud investigations in the county after reports of fraud and abuse within the taxpayer-funded Wisconsin Shares system.
Racine sheriff to check for fraud

The two co-chairs of the state's Joint Legislative Audit Committee agreed Thursday to move forward with requests to audit the Wisconsin Shares child-care subsidy program.
Lawmakers move ahead with requests to audit child-care program

Thirty-two Democratic legislators signed a letter Tuesday calling for a comprehensive audit of the state's taxpayer-funded child-care program and asking that it examine every element from initial intake to the final payment.
Lawmakers call for audit of state's child-care program

Source:
Cashing in on Kids

Elder Abuse and Premature Death

A recent study reveals some disturbing data on senior care and elder abuse. According to the research conducted at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, the risk of death increases significantly—nearly six-fold—when seniors do not care for themselves, reported Medicine Net. The findings appear in the August 5th issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

Also, when seniors are abused—emotionally, physically, financially, sexually, or through neglect—the risk of death increases by more than double, according the study, said Medicine Net. “Elder self-neglect and abuse really have severe consequences,” said Dr. XinQi Dong, study author and associate professor of medicine at Rush, quoted Medicine Net. According to Dr. Dong, the research indicated that “it’s not just the cognitively impaired,” citing patients with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, affected by these trends, “Even more capable seniors face a higher risk of premature death from self-neglect,” he said, reported Medicine Net.

Full Article and Source:
Elder Abuse Linked To Early Death

More information:
Elder Abuse, Neglect Make Early Death Far More Likely

Self-neglect, abuse ups risk of death in the elderly

Theft From Elderly Shoppers

Ill - Aurora police are investigating at least three thefts from elderly people who were grocery shopping.

The three thefts, along with another incident in Oswego, all are similar and may involve the same suspects.

In the latest incident, an 84-year-old Naperville woman said her purse was stolen while she was shopping at Meijer, 808 N. Route 59.

A female suspect is described as black with a small build, about 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighing about 120 pounds with black hair. Her companion is a black man with a medium build, about 6 feet tall and weighing about 200 pounds. The female suspect matches the description of a woman who stole the checkbooks of two other elderly women in Aurora and one in Oswego in recent weeks.

Anyone with information on the identity of the woman is asked to call Aurora police at (630) 801-6655, Oswego police at (630) 551-7349 or Aurora Area Crime Stoppers at (630) 892-1000.

Callers to Crime Stoppers are anonymous and qualify for a cash reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to an arrest.

Source:
Aurora police investigating thefts from elderly shoppers