An assisted living employee has been arrested in the theft of a firearm from the facility located just outside The Villages.
Jacquelyn Marie Gale, 18, of Leesburg, was being held on $32,000 bond at the Sumter County Detention Center following her arrest Tuesday by Wildwood police.
Gale helped a co-worker on Oct. 5 move into Harbor Chase assisted living facility on Powell Road in Wildwood and at the time Gale noticed the co-worker had a handgun among her possessions, according to an arrest report. The co-worker had to temporarily move into the facility due to her work schedule. Once the co-worker’s belongings were all moved into the room, the pair returned to work. The next morning, the co-worker discovered her gun was missing and called police.
Gale was interviewed by police and went with an officer to her home to retrieve the weapon. During an inspection, it was noted that the serial number on the frame had been pried off of the gun.
Gale is facing charges of grand theft of a firearm, burglary and removing a serial number from a firearm.
