Carer jailed after hidden CCTV captures theft from vulnerable client
Lara Jones sentenced to three years for burgling client's home
Last updated 26th Oct 2026
A carer has been sentenced to three years in prison after a hidden CCTV camera captured her stealing jewellery from her vulnerable client’s home in Oxted.
Lara Jones, 50, from Cowden Pound Road, Mark Beech, Kent, was found guilty of burglary at Guildford Crown Court on Friday, 9th October.
The theft occurred on 26th November 2025 while Jones was working her second shift for the client’s family.
She was seen entering the bedroom, rummaging through drawers and wardrobes, and pocketing jewellery worth £8,000.
After completing her first shift, the family had noticed an earring at the top of the stairs.
Upon returning it to the jewellery box, they realised items were missing.
Suspecting the new carer, the family set up hidden cameras in the bedroom.
Following Jones’s second shift, the client's daughter informed Surrey Police on 3rd December after seeing Jones steal items on CCTV.
Officers arrested her on suspicion of burglary, and a search revealed the stolen jewellery.
The victim’s daughter expressed the family's distress: “Having someone violate your trust in your own home, at a time when you are at your most vulnerable, is devastating. The emotional impact has been profound, and it has made an already difficult situation even harder.”
She thanked Surrey Police and the Crown Prosecution Service for their support and dedication in securing the conviction.
Detective Constable Jen Trudel, who led the case, acknowledged the family's heartbreak, stating: "The family were so disheartened that someone they let into their home to care for a loved one could be so heartless as to steal from them. It was an incredibly emotional moment for the family when the sentence was read out."
Jones, who pled not guilty, was convicted on three counts of burglary, and she received a three-year prison sentence along with a £228 victim surcharge.