HASTINGS, Mich. (June 17, 2014) – At 101-years-old, Pauline Puttbrese knows the value of a hard earned dollar.
“I am a ‘Rosie the Riveter,’ I am a waitress, I did everything,” the senior said from inside her room at the Woodland Meadows Retirement Village.
One month ago, Puttbrese discovered someone was trying to make a buck at her expense, by stealing it from her wallet.
“I think it was a little over $30,” she said.
She went to the manager of the retirement community and worked out a way to catch the thief. She said she put $38 back in her wallet and tucked it back in the closet.
“I had counted it so I knew how much was in it,” she said.
Within a day or two $20.00 went missing. A manager called police, who came out to interview her.
“They didn’t think they could do anything about it,” Puttbrese said. But that didn’t sit right with her, “Two or three days later I went to get my purse and that was gone.”
She was able to narrow down when the crimes were taking place, during the overnight hours or third shift, while she was asleep.
“As far as I know there are only two girls on third,” she said.
By the process of elimination she was making it easier for police to conduct interviews.
“They finally just questioned them enough that she confessed,” Puttbrese said.
With a confession in hand, police turned over the suspect to the Barry County Prosecutor’s office. The 101-year-old has her own thoughts on a proper punishment.
“I just want to kick her in the rear end,” said Puttbrese.
Now she’s putting crooks on notice.
“We are keeping our eyes open,” she said.
Even though she’s proved she’s a natural crime-fighter the police haven’t offered her a job just yet. That’s OK with her, she said she would likely have turned down any job offer.
“I would of had to retire too quick,” she joked.
Puttbrese said she can sleep a lot easier now that the worker accused of stealing has been fired.
