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Police accuse nursing home employee of theft from a patient

By Miles Layton jmlayton@heraldstandard.Com 2 min read

State police alleged that a nursing home employee stole from a patient.

Jane Anne Bowers, an employee at Hillside Personal Care Home in North Union Township, allegedly wrote $1,231 worth of checks from a First Niagara bank account belonging to Robert Melvin Collins, 60, a patient at the personal care home.

According to the criminal complaint, Bowers allegedly wrote four checks – one for $223, another for $207, a third for $300 and a final check for $500.

Police allege that Bowers told Collins that two of the blank checks were for Uniontown Hospital, but instead she made them out to herself and had Collins sign them. As to the other two checks, Bowers allegedly stole them, wrote them out to herself before she forged Collins’ name on them so that she could cash them, police said.

The complaint said all of the checks were allegedly written out to Bowers, as well as endorsed or signed on the back by Bowers. These alleged transactions were discovered by Collins when he reviewed his bank statements, the complaint said.

Police allege that Bowers asked Collins for additional money in the past to pay for her personal groceries, but he refused.

Police said Bowers does not have power of attorney over the Collins money nor was she granted that right by Collins or by Hillside Manor.

According to court documents, Bowers, 45, of Crucible was charged with forgery, identity theft, theft by unlawful taking and theft by deception. She was arraigned Wednesday by Magisterial District Judge Richard Kasunic, who set bond at $10,000 unsecured.

A representative who answered the phone at Hillside Personal Care Home on Wednesday said Bowers remains employed there.

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