Bellaire nursing home worker arrested after hidden camera captures theft

Dorcas Gbenda, a Bellaire nursing home employee, has been charged with theft from the elderly after a hidden camera inside a resident's room showed her allegedly taking cash from the man's wallet. Dorcas Gbenda, a Bellaire nursing home employee, has been charged with theft from the elderly after a hidden camera inside a resident's room showed her allegedly taking cash from the man's wallet. Photo: Harris County Sheriff's Office Photo: Harris County Sheriff's Office Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Bellaire nursing home worker arrested after hidden camera captures theft 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

A Bellaire nursing home employee has been charged with theft from the elderly after a hidden camera installed in a resident's room allegedly detected the employee stealing.

Dorcas Gbenda, 34, was arrested about noon Jan. 29 at The Gardens of Bellaire, 4620 Bellaire Blvd. and was taken from the property in handcuffs.

Bellaire Police Department Assistant Chief Michael Leal said the camera was installed by the elderly resident's relatives because they noticed that items were missing from his room.

"The family members had suspected something was going on," Leal said. "They chose to place a camera in there. They involved us when they had a little bit of evidence. I think the camera did capture an employee going through the resident's belongings."

According to the arrest affidavit filed by the Harris County District Attorney's Office, video footage from the camera showed Gbenda taking $60 from the resident's wallet inside his room Jan. 25.

The family first reported their suspicions to the police in early January, Leal said.

Gbenda, a Houston resident, was free Friday on $2,000 bail, pending a court appearance Feb. 5 in County Court No. 11.

Administrators at the facility, previously known as Brighton Gardens of Bellaire, did not immediately return a call for comment.