Milford Mom, Son Steal $9K in Valuables From Neighbors on Thanksgiving: Cops

A mother and son from Milford are facing charges after breaking into their neighbors' home and stealing thousands of dollars in valuables on Thanksgiving Day, according to police.

It happened just hours after the family brought them a plate of turkey dinner, according to the victims' daughter, Crystal Strain.

Police said 50-year-old Laurie Eddings and 31-year-old Christopher Warren stole a key from Strain, who lives with them, and used it to unlock the apartment across the street Thursday evening.

According to court paperwork, Eddings is unemployed.

Strain said her family had left Thanksgiving dinner for Eddings and Warren and gone across town to celebrate the holiday with other family members. The suspects took that opportunity to make their move.

"I just dropped off a plate. I was like, 'How could you?'" Strain said. "I couldn't believe it, as much as we've done for them and helped them out."

According to court paperwork, Strain told police Eddings tried to box her out of her parents' apartment while the culprits rifled through a safe, stealing valuables worth thousands of dollars.

When she realized what was happening, Strain ran back across the street and called her mother, the paperwork says.

Meanwhile, Eddings and Warren emptied the safe and took cash, antique coins, expensive jewelry and electronics worth a total of $9,000, according to police.

"It's unbelievable," said Strain's father, Christopher, who also called the police. "I mean, you know, you're helping them out, bringing them to the store, back and forth, doctor's visits and stuff, and then to turn around and, you know, find your stuff in their house."

It turns out it wasn't the first time Eddings and Warren ripped off their neighbors. Investigating officers arrived at the suspects' apartment to find a second safe stolen at an earlier date, according to police.

Eddings and Warren were both arrested and charged with third-degree burglary, third-degree larceny and conspiracy to commit both.

Warren, who was on probation at the time of the crime, was additionally charged with third-degree criminal mischief.

A public defender requested in court Friday that Eddings receive psychiatric and medical attention.

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