Uniontown woman charged with theft from doctor’s office
A Uniontown woman is facing multiple charges after police said she scammed employees at a local doctor’s office by distracting them with requests and then stealing a wallet from one of the employee’s purse.
Uniontown police Officer Jennifer Field said Valeri Renea Kiss, 26, of Apartment A, 41 Lenox St., was charged by Magisterial District Judge Michael M. Metros with two counts of access device fraud and single counts of theft and receiving stolen property.
According to Field, the theft occurred Aug. 3 when an employee working for Dr. Daniel Nahhas saw Kiss, who is pregnant and is a patient at the doctor’s office, standing in the doorway to the receptionist’s office and asked her why she was standing there.
Amy Hone told police that Kiss told her that she needed some paperwork signed and filled out, Field said, and that she allowed Kiss to enter the reception area.
While Hone was filling out the paperwork, Field said Kiss stole Hone’s wallet containing credit cards and her bank card from inside her purse, which was hanging on the back of her office door.
After Hone finished filling out the paperwork, she said Kiss left the office.
When she retrieved her purse at the end of the workday, Hone said she discovered that her wallet was missing, Field said.
She told police that she immediately called her bank and learned that the card had been used at several local stores that day, Field said.
Field said she was able to obtain video surveillance from Sheetz convenience store in South Union Township that shows Kiss purchasing cigarettes with Hone’s bank card shortly after 3 p.m.
She also obtained a second video from Sheetz that showed Hone using the card a second time to buy snacks and food.
Field also noted that Kiss attempted to use the card a third time at CVS Pharmacy in Uniontown to purchase three packs of cigarettes but the card was declined.
Kiss will face a preliminary hearing at a later date before Metros.