The theft of expensive wedding jewelry at a Boston hotel over the weekend has devastated the bride, whose sister said yesterday that two maids accused in the robbery should be punished harshly.
According to the bride's sister and a Boston police report, more than 100 guests attended a wedding reception at the Fairmont Copley Plaza, bringing costly gifts of gold, diamond, and pearl jewelry. Authorities said that the maids made off with the presents during a brunch Sunday morning.
"We are very upset," said the sister, who asked that her name not be published for privacy reasons. "It ruined my sister's wedding."
Police said 11 pieces of jewelry worth "upwards of $100,000" were stolen and later recovered, but that other items are still missing.
The family told hotel security officials and Boston police that the jewelry was worth $1 million. Relatives and police yesterday said they are trying to determine the precise value of a pearl necklace, a silver watch, a pair of silver earrings, a gold bracelet, four silver chains, and one silver bracelet.
Still wearing their black hotel uniforms, the two housekeepers -- Ailina Fernandes, 27, and Ramatu Deen, 30, -- were arraigned yesterday in Boston Municipal Court on charges of larceny over $250. Both pleaded not guilty, and bail was set at $1,000 cash by Judge Robert J. McKenna Jr., who ordered the women to return to court Oct. 5.
Fernandes's husband posted the $1,000 cash bail and told reporters that his wife, who is the mother of a 2-year old, is blameless.
"She didn't know anything was stolen," he said. "She wasn't part of anything that was stolen."
In court, Deen's lawyer, Joshua R. Hanye suggested his client was not the mastermind. He said Deen cooperated with police when they started questioning her and that she was responsible for helping authorities recover the stolen jewels. Police did not disclose where the jewelry had been hidden.
Hanye said that Deen is the mother of a infant boy and that she is nursing the child and needs to be with him. She had not posted bail by last night, officials said.
The jewelry was in Room 647, where the bride's sister was staying. As she prepared to check out, she said, she asked the hotel staff not to let anyone in the room while she attended the brunch. When she returned around 12:30 p.m., she discovered the jewelry had been stolen.
"They are not supposed to do that," the victim's sister said of the two suspects. "They did something wrong, and they have to get punished for it."
In a statement, hotel management described the robbery as an unfortunate situation that "casts a shadow" on all staff members at the hotel. They said the two maids have been suspended without pay.
"The comfort and safety of our guests is our primary concern," the statement said. "The Fairmont Copley Plaza has a long-tenured and dedicated service staff and, fortunately, situations like this are unusual at the hotel."
According to department records, police have been asked to investigate 24 larcenies committed inside the elegant St. James Avenue hotel since August 2005. A hotel spokeswoman said some of those investigations could have been guests reporting they had been victimized outside the hotel.
Source: boston
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