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Police: New Jersey Cleaning Lady Stole Jewelry From Client's Home

NORTH BRUNSWICK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Police on Tuesday were looking to talk to residents of Middlesex and Somerset counties in New Jersey who have used one particular cleaning lady.

As CBS2's Alice Gainer reported, police in North Brunswick said the woman literally cleaned out the jewelry boxes in some of her customers' homes.

"We have hundreds of pieces of jewelry at this time," said North Brunswick police Capt. Brian Hoiberg.

Migdalia Morales, 51, of New Brunswick, is the operator of Migdalia's Cleaning Service. She was arrested last week on burglary and theft charges after a customer in Old Bridge reported missing jewelry.

The jewelry included items "from charms to rings to earrings," Hoiberg said.

Police found the missing pieces at a local pawn shop in North Brunswick, and traced it back to Morales. In the process, they recovered even more.

"We believe there may be a couple of pieces from each place," Hoiberg said. "They might not even be aware that it's missing."

But at Morales' home, her son, Ricardo Daly, said his mother did not steal from any customers and is taking the fall for someone else.

"She hired an undocumented person to work with her, and they stole from customers," Daly said. "It wasn't my mother."

When asked where the woman he said was really responsible might be, Daly said: "To be honest with you, we don't even know. She just disappeared."

Daly said his mother has been in the business for 20 years and is also a foster mother. He said she is a woman who serves the community, not steals from it.

He said further that the pieces of jewelry police said they recovered actually belong to his mother.

"They have hundreds of pieces of jewelry -- that's my mom's jewelry," Daly said. "That's what jewelry they have."

But police have asked anyone who may have used Morales' services to come forward if they suspect they are missing items.

"It's rare that you have the suspect and not the victim," Hoiberg said.

If more people come forward, police said more charges could follow.

Anyone who has used the service and believes he or she may have been a victim is asked to contact the North Brunswick Police Department's Detective Bureau at (732) 247-0922 x313.

Morales' bail was set at $50,000.

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