by Kristin Casale

Associate Editor

Stow -- A Stow in-home health caregiver is facing two felony charges after being accused of stealing more than $123,000 from an 80-year-old Stow woman, said Police Lt. Rick Myers.

Carolyn S. Vallen, 60, was arraigned in the Summit County Court of Common Pleas Feb. 8 on charges of aggravated theft from the elderly, a first-degree felony, and forgery, a fourth-degree felony, Myers said.

According to the Summit County Clerk of Courts Office, Vallen has not entered a plea on the charges. She is scheduled to appear in the Summit County Court of Common Pleas Feb. 19 for a pretrial before Judge Thomas A. Teodosio.

Vallen is free on a $5,000 bond, according to the clerk of courts office. She did not have an attorney at press time.

Vallen is accused of taking the funds while working for the 80-year-old woman, according to Myers.

He said police believe Vallen gained access to the woman's checking account and wrote checks to herself.

"The accused deposited checks into her personal account and into her relatives' personal accounts," said Myers, adding Vallen also is accused of using the woman's debit card.

According to the Stow Police records department, the alleged thefts took place between April 12, 2005, and Oct. 24, 2005.

Also, Myers said, Vallen allegedly sold a wheelchair to the 80-year-old woman for $18,000, even though its retail value was $5,800.

The 80-year-old woman filed a complaint with police Sept. 7, 2006, according to the records department. Following more than a yearlong investigation, police arrested Vallen Jan. 22, according to Myers.

E-mail: kcasale@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-686-3917