By Erin Sullivan, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, December 2, 2010
HUDSON — A 45-year-old handyman is accused of stealing jewelry from a couple in their 80s who hired him to renovate their home.
The husband, 89, and the wife, 82, both confronted Edgar Velez after discovering that two gold necklaces worth $1,500 were missing, a report states. Velez denied taking anything. The couple, who live on Knollbrook Lane in the Shadow Run neighborhood, called the Pasco County Sheriff's Office.
Velez was arrested Wednesday and charged with two counts of grand theft and one count of false verification of ownership. He told investigators he pawned the necklaces, the report states.
Velez, who lives in Port Richey, is being held in the Pasco County jail in lieu of $20,000 bail.