Caregiver accused of stealing money from elderly woman

Lewisburg, Pa. — A home health aide who was caring for an elderly woman allegedly took more than $1,600 of her funds without permission, police say.

Helen Reaser, 49, of Allenwood, was charged after police reviewed surveillance footage at an ATM machine that showed her withdrawing cash from the victim's account. Reaser had worked for a local home health agency and cared for the victim Monday through Friday, according to the affidavit.

The investigation came about on May 24 when the victim's daughter realized her mother's debit card was missing and there had been fraudulent withdrawals. Patrolman Gary V. Heckman of Buffalo Valley Regional Police Department said the victim's daughter noticed there were several fraudulent cash withdrawals from the bank account between May 10-14 totaling $745. The victim's daughter also told police she had left $950 in her mother's wallet, which also was missing, according to the affidavit.

Heckman viewed surveillance footage from ATM machines at Lewisburg Sheetz and M&T Bank in East Buffalo Township. The first video from May 10 showed a woman, later identified as Reaser, using the ATM machine at Sheetz and then getting a fountain drink and leaving without paying, according to the affidavit. Heckman watched footage from Sheetz that also showed Reaser using the ATM machine on May 11 and 13.

Heckman interviewed Reaser on May 29. Initially, she denied knowing about the alleged thefts but then admitted to making the ATM withdrawals after she was shown the video footage. Reaser also told Heckman she had permission to use the victim's debit card. After further questioning, Reaser admitted to taking the debit card and using it for at least three ATM transactions at Sheetz and one at M&T Bank, according to the affidavit. Reaser told Heckman she obtained the PIN for the card when she took the victim to CVS. Reaser claimed she threw the debit card away several weeks prior at a rest stop off Interstate 80.

Reaser was charged with 12 misdemeanor counts, including access device fraud, theft, receiving stolen property, and financial exploitation of an older adult. A preliminary hearing is set for Sept. 5 at the office of District Judge Jeffrey A. Rowe.

Docket Sheet