Pest control employee accused of stealing jewelry on a job

PARK CITY — A Millcreek man is accused of stealing high-end jewelry from a Summit County home while working as a pest control employee.

Investigators believe he may have robbed several other clients.

Eric Michael Thomas, 26, was charged Monday in 3rd District Court with theft, a second-degree felony.

On Friday, Summit County sheriff's deputies were called to a home "on a report of a pest control employee who stole high-end jewelry from a house they were servicing," according to a police booking affidavit.

The homeowners reported that the same employee was also at their home a month earlier "and they are certain the employee had stolen a diamond necklace," the affidavit states.

On Friday, "the victim said Eric came to the house unannounced and started spraying pest control products around the exterior of the home. After spraying the outside, Eric knocked on the front door and told the victim this was their last service before winter and their last opportunity to have the inside treated," according to the affidavit. "The victim advised they knew something was wrong when Eric walked into the master bedroom closet and closed the door behind him. When Eric left the closet, the victim went to the closet and immediately checked the jewelry, noticing multiple items missing."

Police were called and arrived before Thomas could leave. As a deputy approached, he saw Thomas take something from his pocket and put it in the back seat of his truck, according to the affidavit.

"I told Eric I saw him put items in the back of his truck and asked him to retrieve the items. Eric walked to the passenger side of the truck, opened the door, reached under a bucket and the rubber floor mat, pulling out a gold necklace and a large silver coin," stated the deputy.

When the deputy told Thomas to retrieve whatever else was in the vehicle, "Eric walked to the bed of the truck, opened a chemicals box and retrieved a highly concentrated insecticide. Eric began to dump the insecticide out into the grass while using his fingers to fish items out of the container. Eric retrieved a silver ring, a silver pendant necklace and a gold bracelet. Eric used water to rinse the jewelry off and handed it to me. I showed the jewelry to the victim, who identified the items as being missing from their house."

According to charging documents, the jewelry stolen from the home is worth approximately $14,000.

"I asked Eric how often he steals from customers' homes and he said he does it frequently," the deputy wrote in the affidavit. "He admitted to stealing jewelry or small high-value items from more than 10 other homes across the area, all of which were in a box at his home.

"Eric assured me all the items he has stolen from everyone are all still at his house," the affidavit continued. "Eric told me how he would bring the jewelry home and put it all in the same box in his desk. I asked Eric why he is collecting the stolen jewelry and not selling it. Eric stated he did not want to answer that question."

Thomas claimed the silver coin and one of the necklaces recovered at the scene were stolen from the house he had serviced prior to where he was caught, the affidavit states.

"Deputies served a search warrant on Thomas's home and discovered other pieces of high-end jewelry that Thomas admitted stealing from other clients' homes," according to charging documents.

Prosecutors have requested that Thomas be held in the Summit County Jail without the possibility of posting bail pending trial, noting that his "employer informed police that (he) regularly returns to Thailand at the end of each pest-control season. Because he had not sold the jewelry he stole, police believe (Thomas) may be taking the stolen items to Thailand to sell."

Thomas' employer is not named in court documents.

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