Hall County pet sitter charged in $400K jewelry heist

David Ibata

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A 48-year-old Clermont woman is in the Hall County Jail, charged with stealing $400,000 in jewelry from a household where she had been helping to care for its pets, authorities said.

 

Hall County Sheriff's Office Linda Waddell, 48, of Clermont was arrested and charged with felony theft by receiving Aug. 16, 2011. The Hall County Sheriff's Office says she took $400,000 in jewelry from a house in Clermont where she was watching pets while the owner was away.

 

Linda Waddell is being held on $15,000 bond on a felony charge of theft by receiving, according to Sgt. Stephen Wilbanks of the Hall County Sheriff’s Office.

The investigation began Aug. 12 when sheriff’s deputies responded to a reported burglary at a home on Mountain Meadow Drive in Clermont.

“(Waddell) was initially named as a person of interest by the victim because she had access to the house. She was reportedly helping care for pets while the victim was away for a few days,” Wilbanks said.

“During the course of the investigation, she was interviewed and was connected to the theft,” he said.

Deputies arrested Waddell on Aug. 16. They recovered the missing jewelry and returned it to its owner.