A cleaner who stole more than £30,000 of cash and jewellery from her employers has been jailed for nearly four years.

Katerina Petkova, 41, worked as an agency cleaner between April 2012 and April 2013 using her position to steal from the homes she was cleaning.

It was only after Petkova had been working as a cleaner an home in Rotherwood Road, Putney, on April 11 the homeowner noticed several of her rings, worth more than £25,000, were missing.

Wandsworth police arrested Petkova from her home address in Haringey, North London, on Thursday April 18, 2013, before charging her with theft.

A further investigations by officers linked Petkova to 12 other offences of theft in Wandsworth, Haringey and Hackney.

At Wood Green Crown Court on Friday, March 21, Petkova pleaded guilty moments before she was due to stand trial for 12 counts of theft.

The judge sentenced her to 43 months imprisonment and commented on the devastating loss of sentimental items by the victims and praised the Metropolitan Police for their investigation.

DS Jason McElroy from Wandsworth CID said Petkova was invited into the homes of hard-working people and offered their trust which she then abused.

He added: "Through a coordinated and thorough cross-border investigation, the Metropolitan Police have been able to identify and prosecute Petkova who is now paying the price for her criminal behaviour which has caused immense distress and financial loss to many people."

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