A callous carer was caught red-handed stealing jewellery from her elderly client after family became suspicious the first time they met her.
Footage captured by a secret camera shows Lara Jones, 50, rummaging through the pensioner's drawers in Oxted, Surrey.
The brazen thief was snared after the vulnerable victim's family became wary of her when they spotted an earring at the top of the stairs not long after she had left.
The family went to return it to the jewellery box when they noticed that expensive items had vanished.
Fearing that Jones may have been the culprit, they set up hidden cameras in the bedroom.
On just her second shift on November 26, 2025, Jones was snapped stealing from a drawer and a wardrobe.
Shocking footage captured by a secret camera shows Lara Jones, 50, rummaging through the pensioner's drawers
The family became worried after they spotted an earring at the top of the stairs after Jones had left
A week later, the victim's daughter told police that her elderly and vulnerable father was at home with his new carer, who they had caught going through the bedroom drawers and cupboards.
Jones was arrested on suspicion of burglary.
She was searched and the stolen items were found.
In total, the heartless carer pocketed £8,000 worth of jewellery from her vulnerable client's home.
Jones, of Mark Beech, Kent, was found guilty of burglary at Guildford Crown Court on Friday, October 9.
The family of the victim said: '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.
'We are immensely grateful to Surrey Police and the Crown Prosecution Service for their dedication, compassion and determination in securing this conviction. Their support throughout has meant a great deal to our family, and we are relieved that justice has been served.'
Officer in charge of the case, Detective Constable Jen Trudel, said: '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 at the first opportunity.
'This has made them wary of letting anyone into their home despite the much-needed respite required.
'It was an incredibly emotional moment for the family when the sentence was read out, and hopefully this will allow them some closure so that they can move on with their lives.'
Jones pleaded not guilty but was convicted at trial of three counts of burglary.
She was sentenced to three years' imprisonment and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £228.
