Former retirement community employee charged with stealing jewelry from residents

LEXINGTON, S.C. – A West Columbia woman has been charged with four counts of burglary after investigators said they determined she stole jewelry from residents of a retirement community.

Lachanda Langley, 39, was employed at the Columbia Presbyterian Community when she used a master key to enter four apartments at the facility without consent and stole jewelry from residents, according to arrest warrants. Detectives estimated the total value of the stolen jewelry to be $3,000.

“Staff and administrators at the Columbia Presbyterian Community were extremely helpful to us throughout our investigation,” Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said. “As soon as the first report of missing jewelry came in, we worked together to get to the bottom of the situation and determine what happened.”

Koon said Langley pawned the stolen jewelry. Investigators have tracked down some of the items and returned them to the rightful owner.

“The safety and security of our residents are paramount to our community and we appreciate the Sheriff’s Department’s effort in resolving these incidents,” said Jason Basile, executive director of the Columbia Presbyterian Community.

Langley was arrested without incident last week by members of the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force. She was released from the Lexington County Detention Center after posting bail.