Cruise Selfies With $20,463 of Stolen Jewelry Lead to Jail Time
Ideally, and as is the case most of the time, cruisers should be law-abiding citizens who aren’t actively committing crimes while onboard.
But if you’re going to commit a crime, taking and sending photos that document your misdeeds isn’t exactly the smartest decision. However, this is exactly what Lucy Roberts did.
The Swanland, UK, resident had been the manager of a luxury jewelry shop called Daniella Draper Beverly until just before her sailing.
During her tenure at the fine jewelry establishment, the 39-year-old’s colleagues noticed that she had a suspicious habit of taking the merchandise with her when she left work, allegedly to sort stock from the comfort of her own home.
After about a year, Roberts resigned from the company and embarked on a cruise on an unidentified ship.
But according to the police reports, approximately £14,895 (or $20,463 USD) went with her.
Roberts sent photos of herself clad in the stolen jewels and gems to her colleagues, thinking they wouldn’t recognize the pieces.
Of course, staff flagged the photos to management because they suspected that Roberts had not purchased them. The police were then contacted and a warrant for her arrest was issued.
“Roberts arrogantly posed on social media and sent pictures boasting to her ex-colleagues about the great time she was having on holiday, not thinking they would realise what she had been doing,” said Sgt. Krista Wilkinson, a detective with the Humberside Police Force, in a statement.
The stolen jewelry that came on the cruise were found with Roberts when she was arrested in London’s Heathrow Airport following disembarkation.
A search of her bedroom at home revealed an additional 269 stolen jewelry items worth around £107,965 (or $148,327 USD).
“From her bedroom 269 items worth a total value of £107,965 were recovered and when arrested at the airport, Roberts was wearing approximately £1,015 of stolen items, as well 22 item £13,880 worth of jewelry was located in her suitcase,” Sgt. Wilkinson continued.
Police estimate that she stole an estimated £124,675 (or $171,267) in jewelry and cash when all was said and done.
Jewelry Thieves on the High Seas
With the evidence stacked against her, Roberts entered a guilty plea when she appeared at the Grimsby Crown Court, where she was charged with theft by an employee.
Roberts had also completed several fraudulent return transactions and lied while conducting stock counts in an attempt to get away with her crime, which likely also factored into the consequences.
She was ultimately sentenced to 28 months in jail and she has begun serving her time.
“I am pleased she is now behind bars and I hope it will give her ample time to think about the crime she committed and how it has impacted not only the company, but the colleagues who considered her a friend and who were betrayed by her in such a trusted role,” Sgt. Wilkinson concluded.
Read Also: 15 Most Annoying Things People Do on Cruises
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time this year that cruisers have gotten in trouble for a jewelry heist.
In May, an elderly couple sailing onboard Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Constellation was accused of allegedly stealing an expensive ring from a local shop in the Sicilian town of Messina.
Police say that the couple had asked to try on the ring, which was valued at around $1,100 USD, before walking out of the store with it.
By the time the clerk noticed the piece was missing, the ship was already sailing on to its next port of call, which was Naples, Italy.
The couple was searched by police upon arrival in Naples and the ring was indeed found in their possession. However, their case has not yet gone to trial, and they are presumed innocent for now.
Cruise Selfies With $20,463 of Stolen Jewelry Lead to Jail Time