The owner of a jewelery store in Woodford County decided to take matters into her own hands after she noticed more than one hundred thousand dollars in antique stones and gold missing. Her bravery may have stopped the thief from breaking in, but the investigation isn’t over.

Helen Ringus, owner of EquiTreasures in Midway, takes great pride in the jewelry she makes. So when she noticed someone was stealing from her, Helen wasn’t going to stand by and let it happen without putting up a fight.

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“I decided to sleep on the floor, lights out, all the curtains drawn, and see what happens,” she said.

That was Sunday night. A few days after the jewelry maker noticed stones and gold were missing from trays under the display cases. Helen says more than 100,000 dollars worth of precious gems and metal is gone. Then she discovered someone had pried open the back window.

“I knew who he was, and I know that he’s a wimp, and I didn’t think he was armed,” she said.

That’s why Helen decided to take her chances, and confront the thief if he broke in again. Sure enough, it happened early Monday morning.

“Of course I started screaming and he kept approaching me saying, give me five minutes to explain before you call police, and I said don’t come near me! I think I said that twice. When I could reach him, I clobbered him with my stick.”

The thief got away. Versailles Police are investigating, but at this point, that’s all they’ll say.

As for Helen, she may be small, but she’s not one to mess with, and she says she’d do it again, to protect her jewels.

“I took a chance but this is my life. This is my money. I work hard for this. He doesn’t have a job. He doesn’t work. He steals from people. He deserves to be punished.”

Helen says even though she recognizes the thief she doesn’t want to jeopardize the investigation by naming him. Meanwhile, police won’t say if they’re looking for someone specific.

We have a warning for shoppers about a disturbing trend over the holidays. A woman is stealing credit cards and wallets from purses in Lexington. It’s happening at area Kroger’s and TJ MAXX stores.

It’s that time of year when folks open their wallets a little more, spending money on family and friends. But having an open purse when you’re shopping? Police say that might get you out of the holiday spirt real quickly. Especially if you run into the person who police say has stolen wallets out of the purses of twelve women, mostly elderly, at area stores.

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“Keep your bags closed,” advises Detective Michael Helsby with the Lexington Police Department’s Financial Crimes Division. “Maybe if you are going to the grocery store take one credit card you are going to use and a driver’s license and keep them in your pocket.”

The alleged culprit was caught on camera at the Walmart on Richmond Road and the Target in the Hamburg area. At Walmart, surveillance cameras show a woman putting about $2400 dollars total on three reloadable gift cards, using stolen credit cards. Minutes later, she’s seen at the Target.

The victims tell police she has an accomplice, a woman who distracts the victim with a question or conversation while the other thief makes her move and steals the wallet out of the purse. They hope the public can help identify the culprit.

“We’ve had some witnesses who’ve stated they believe it was a man dressed up as a woman wearing a wig” says Detective Helsby.

Police urge women to keep their purses on their shoulders, not in their shopping carts, and they also suggest store employees should check identification when customers use credit cards to buy gift cards.

Police say the thief also used the stolen credit cards at the Apple Store at the Fayette Mall.

If you have any information, contact Lexington Police at 859-258-3600.

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WKYT) – A central Kentucky sheriff’s office needs your help to identify a serial burglar who was caught by a hidden camera.

Investigators believe the person is behind a string of break-ins in the Bon Air area of Frankfort.

Franklin County Sheriff Pat Melton tells us the thief has targeted homes and cars, taking advantage of unlocked doors and items left in plain sight. We’re told the thief has gotten away with everything from money to Christmas presents.

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“The community is tired of it,” Sheriff Melton says. “They’re tired of people stealing. I work hard for what I have and I don’t want anybody to come in and take it just like everybody else does.”

Investigators believe the culprit is connected to a white Chevy Tahoe with dark colored caps in the middle of the tires.

If you have any information, you can text it to investigators. Just send the text to 502-320-3306.