A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 14 for a Delavan woman charged with stealing and selling her parents’ jewelry valued at more than $20,000.
Amara E. Knutson, 32, was charged Feb. 24 in Walworth County Circuit Court with theft of movable property valued at more than $10,000.
According to the criminal complaint, Bruce Knutson reported Nov. 27 that multiple pieces of jewelry that belonged to him and his wife, Janice Knutson, had been taken from their home without permission.
Knutson said his daughter, Amara Knutson, had told him two days earlier that she’d stolen the jewelry and sold it at Beall Jewelry in Delavan and Fontana Jeweler for $7,000 to $10,000, according to the complaint. Bruce Knutson said the jewelry was worth $20,000 to $25,000. He said his daughter said she sold the jewelry to repay a $4,500 loan, according to the complaint.
The Knutsons went to Beall Jewelry where they found a large sapphire ring that belonged to Janice Knutson for sale and bought it back for $462, according to the complaint. Beall’s records showed Amara Knutson conducted 22 transactions between March 24, 2015, and Oct. 8, 2015, and was paid $14,331 for various pieces of jewelry including her parents’ wedding rings, other rings, chains, bracelets and coins, according to the complaint.
Amara Knutson admitted she sold her mother’s wedding ring to Fontana Jewelry for $1,600, according to the complaint.
Amara Knutson said she spent the money on food, drinks and tennis shoes.
