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Home Canterbury News Article
A disgraced cleaner stole a £275 necklace from a client's home - and then hours later posted a photo online showcasing the swiped jewellery box.
Stacey Bunyan uploaded the snap to her business's official Instagram page after stealing the pricey Louis Vuitton necklace from a house in Canterbury.
But the 29-year-old thief was foiled after suspicious home owner Mark Ravenwood saw the picture and called in police.
"I was shocked to see it on there," he said.
"I just thought 'that is so brazen and stupid'. I knew immediately it was my wife Victoria's. This is someone we had trusted to come into our home every week and had given a key to.
"I thought it was better to have a local cleaner rather than a larger firm as I believed it would be a more personal and trustworthy service - obviously it wasn't."
Bunyan began cleaning the house in York Road in early September for two hours every week.
The Louis Vuitton necklace went missing in October but it was thought the jewellery had just been misplaced.
Mr Ravenwood, a 37-year-old teacher at Strood Academy, became suspicious of Bunyan after noticing a pair of Apple AirPods were also missing from the home in November.
He checked the Instagram account for Stacey's Shiney Cleaning Services and, to his astonishment, saw the picture of his wife's necklace box.
He called police, who arrested Bunyan and recovered the jewellery.
Bunyan, who in 2017 narrowly avoided prison for cashing cheques not meant for her, pleaded guilty to stealing the necklace when she appeared before Margate magistrates.
She was not charged in connection with the missing headphones.
The thief, of Long Acre Close, Canterbury, was ordered to do 90 hours of community service and attend 19 days of rehabilitation sessions.
She must also pay the Ravenwoods £100 compensation.
Mr Ravenwood, who has been told the necklace is with police and will be returned, believes Bunyan should be behind bars.
"Given her previous conviction for fraud she deserved jail time so I'm disappointed it wasn't a harsher punishment," he said.
"She could have been stealing from houses for years.
"This whole thing has pushed us to get the house on the market quicker.
"It's really upsetting. We haven't sorted a replacement cleaner as it's difficult to trust someone now.
"Her page had positive reviews on Facebook so I thought it best to go with her. I will definitely think again when looking at recommendations."
