Posted at: 11/20/2009 7:42 PM
By: Becky Nahm & Robert Moses

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Man Allegedly Stole from Homes He was Hired to Clean

A former employee of a Twin Cities cleaning company is accused of stealing about $50,000 worth of jewelry and other valuable items from homes he was sent to clean.

According to a criminal complaint, Cortez Thomas, 28, took rings and necklaces from homes in Dakota and Scott counties between May 2008 and March 2009.

He worked for The Cleaning Authority of Burnsville at the time.

Another complaint says Thomas' girlfriend, 24-year-old Keyshaye Mosely, who also worked for the cleaning company, took a wedding ring from a home in Apple Valley.

Dakota Count District Attorney James Backstrom said, "There were over 150 items that Ms. Mosely had taken to various pawn shops across the Twin Cities. We're talking rings. We're talking watches. We're talking necklaces. We're talking iPods."

Backstrom said police have recovered about half of the stolen items.

Backstrom said the cleaning agency is cooperating with police. Authorities consider the business a victim.

Thomas was charged with three felony counts. Officials issued a warrant for his arrest.

Mosely was charged with one felony.