Police: Woman steals from elderly grandmother

BAYTOWN, Texas – A woman has been accused of stealing an expensive watch from the relative who raised her.

Jessica Rangel, 27, has been charged with theft.

Baytown police said Rangel took a 14-karat gold, diamond-encrusted watch worth $3,500 from her grandmother. The watch was given to the grandmother 22 years ago by her now-deceased husband.

Rangel was adopted by her grandmother after her parents died.

Sandy Thibodaux lives across the street from Rangel's elderly grandmother. She said the grandmother is devastated and that other items may have been taken from the home.

"Her grandma gave her a place to stay when she was staying with some really bad people," Thibodaux said. "She was going to put her through college and everything, and she just threw that all away."

Police said Rangel admitted to stealing the watch and taking it to a pawn shop. According to police, the manager of the pawn shop told them that the loan on the watch expired and the watch was sent away to be melted down, so it could not be returned to the grandmother.

Investigators said Rangel told them she made a mistake and she feels bad about it, but she is still facing jail time.