Deputies: Cleaning Lady Steals, Then Abandons Safe

A Town of Merton couple came home in November to find their safe, three firearms and jewelry went missing. The safe was abandoned in the middle of an intersection with nothing missing from it, but other items worth $2,300 were nowhere to be found.

The couple told Waukesha County deputies they believed their cleaning lady, Joenelle L. Sawa, 33, of Dousman, stole the items, according to a criminal complaint.

Sawa was charged with felony theft on Monday in Waukesha County Circuit Court. If convicted, she faces up to 1.5 years initial confinement in prison and $10,000 in fines.

Deputies were investigating a different theft involving Sawa when they learned that she sold a number of items belonging to the Town of Merton couple, according to the complaint.

Sawa admitted she took the items so she could obtain cash to support her opiate addiction, according to the criminal complaint.