Woman Charged With Stealing 50 Glass Eyes
OWENSBORO, Ky. (Jan. 3) - Police charged a woman Friday with stealing 50 antique glass eyes from a hospital display case on Christmas Eve.
Melissa Jane Wink, 36, of Owensboro, was charged with theft by unlawful taking over $300.
A surveillance camera recorded the theft from an exhibit of medical artifacts at Owensboro Medical Health System. A picture of the suspect was publicly released several days later.
The eyes were valued at $2,500. The hospital had mistakenly reported the eyes were worth $100,000, which was actually the value of the exhibit collection. The eyes were recovered at a house Wink was staying in.
Police Detective Ed Krahwinkel said he wasn't sure why someone would steal the eyes; there isn't high demand on the black market for them.
"Honestly, I don't think she knew what to do with them," Krahwinkel said. "Being a high profile case - and a used item - I think she was stuck with them."
The glass eyes were a gift to the hospital from Owensboro physician Barney Elliott, who bought the glass eyes from a dealer in South Carolina about 10 years ago. He said they were most likely made at the beginning of the 20th century or earlier. The eyes came in a variety of colors and even included bloodshot or jaundiced tints so they would match the wearer's other eye.
"I'm glad to hear they're back," Elliott said. "It's a good display, and I think the public will enjoy them."
01/03/04 09:50 EST
Copyright 2004 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
this woman is NUTS!!!!!
OWENSBORO, Ky. (Jan. 3) - Police charged a woman Friday with stealing 50 antique glass eyes from a hospital display case on Christmas Eve.
Melissa Jane Wink, 36, of Owensboro, was charged with theft by unlawful taking over $300.
A surveillance camera recorded the theft from an exhibit of medical artifacts at Owensboro Medical Health System. A picture of the suspect was publicly released several days later.
The eyes were valued at $2,500. The hospital had mistakenly reported the eyes were worth $100,000, which was actually the value of the exhibit collection. The eyes were recovered at a house Wink was staying in.
Police Detective Ed Krahwinkel said he wasn't sure why someone would steal the eyes; there isn't high demand on the black market for them.
"Honestly, I don't think she knew what to do with them," Krahwinkel said. "Being a high profile case - and a used item - I think she was stuck with them."
The glass eyes were a gift to the hospital from Owensboro physician Barney Elliott, who bought the glass eyes from a dealer in South Carolina about 10 years ago. He said they were most likely made at the beginning of the 20th century or earlier. The eyes came in a variety of colors and even included bloodshot or jaundiced tints so they would match the wearer's other eye.
"I'm glad to hear they're back," Elliott said. "It's a good display, and I think the public will enjoy them."
01/03/04 09:50 EST
Copyright 2004 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
this woman is NUTS!!!!!
Hehehe!
