Police: Cabby, Wife Steal $15K in Jewelry of Widower's Late Wife, Then He Returns to Borrow Money

IOWA CITY, IA -- Police say an Iowa City couple stole $15,000 in jewelry and then sold most of it at a pawn shop.

Stacy James Levell, 40, and Melissa Kay Levell, 38, have each been charged with first-degree theft, a class C felony. Stacy Levell's address is listed as 117 N. Downey St. in West Branch, but no address is listed for Melissa.

On March 10, the couple visited a man, who was an acquaintance, on H Street in Iowa City, and took 12 rings worth $15,000, according to Iowa City Police reports. The rings had belonged to the victim's late wife. 

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They pawned 11 of the 12 rings at Money and More for $1,307, and Stacy Levell then returned to the house, admitted stealing the rings because he needed rent money and asked to borrow money, according to the report.

Stacy Levell, who worked for Marco's Taxi, was also charged with third-degree theft for falsifying his daily totals in his cab logs and keeping the difference, according to a police report. He was confronted once, said it wouldn't happen again and but the same happened again, according to police. He stole $703 from Marco's, according to police.

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