Miami woman, 76, stole and pawned 87-year-old friend's gold jewelry, cops say

A 76-year-old Miami woman is facing charges after police said she stole and pawned her 87-year-old friend’s gold jewelry while the friend was hospitalized.

Zonia Beatriz Reategui was arrested Tuesday on charges including dealing in stolen property, grand theft and false verification of ownership, arrest reports said.

According to the reports the victim, who said she’s been friends with Reategui for around 20 years, said Reategui drove her to the University of Miami Hospital on Dec. 9, 2025, due to a medical condition involving her feet.

Reategui said she would take possession of the victim’s bracelets for safekeeping, but later refused to return the jewelry and gave multiple excuses when the victim requested the bracelets, the reports said.

The jewelry belonging to the victim was later found at a Miami jewelry store, and investigators discovered it had been pawned by Reategui, including one item that was pawned the same day the victim was hospitalized, the reports said.

Reategui received $500 for one 14K gold bracelet with eight charms and another $500 for an 18K gold bracelet with five charms, the reports said.

The victim said they had an estimated value of about $5,000.

Reategui spoke with detectives and confessed to pawning the bracelets, before she was arrested and booked into jail, the reports said.