Couple accused of stealing jewelry from Pierce County senior citizens arraigned

TACOMA --  The Pierce County Prosecutor’s office arraigned Russell Glen Grover, 33, and Adrienne L. Van Arsdale, 33, today on charges related to multiple thefts from a senior community in Gig Harbor called The Lakes. “Cases like this are why we started our Elder Abuse Unit,” said Prosecutor Mark Lindquist. “We are committed to protecting our elders, and we seek long sentences for those who prey upon them.”

Grover is charged with Residential Burglary and four counts of Trafficking Stolen Property in the First Degree. Van Arsdale is charged with one count of Trafficking Stolen Property in the First Degree. In total, over the course of 13 months, Grover sold approximately $33,000 worth of jewelry. Grover and Van Arsdale were charged on August 3, 2016, and bench warrants were issued for their arrest.

They turned themselves in on September 14. Bail for Grover was set in the amount of $75,000. Electronic home monitoring under the supervision of Pretrial Services was ordered for Van Arsdale.



PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. -- Some potential justice for a Gig Harbor couple who had their engagement ring stolen from a senior center where they lived. Pierce County Sheriff's deputies say the suspects wanted for the crime turned themselves in on Tuesday night.

Authorities say Russell Grover and Adrienne Vanarsdale stole an engagement ring from an older couple and other items at a retirement community.

Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist told Q13 News how it all started.

"That was a pretty standard fact pattern,” Lindquist said. “You had an employee of an assisting living facility.  So he used his position to either sneak into or even break into residents’ rooms where he would take jewelry, televisions, but mostly jewelry."

The Department of Justice gave the county a $400 thousand grant to help fight crimes against senior citizens. Only eight similar grants were awarded nationwide.