Woman charged in Brookfield jewelry theft case

Janina S. Werner, 18, of Milwaukee, was charged with being party to the theft of jewelry from a Brookfield home in Waukesha County Circuit Court yesterday.

If convicted, she faces a fine of up to $10,000, up to six years in prison, or both.

The criminal complaint alleges:

The woman who lives in the home, in the 16100 block of Cumberland Court, noticed that a number of pieces of gold jewelry were missing and reported the matter Sept. 12. The rings, pendants and other items taken had a total estimated value of about $5,000.

She believed the items had been taken during the month of August, and recalled that two of her son's friends - one being Werner - had spent time in the home.

Two weeks later, the woman found some of her jewelry in Werner's purse.

Meanwhile, police had learned that the other friend who had been at the home had sold a number of pieces of gold jewelry to a gold-buying shop. That friend told officers that Werner had given him the jewelry to sell, and that he had believed it belonged to her deceased mother. Werner had not turned 18 at the time, so she was unable to sell gold on her own.

Werner is scheduled to make an initial court appearance Jan. 23.