O.C. home organizer pleads guilty to stealing from customers; gets time served and community service

SANTA ANA — An Orange County home organizer has pleaded guilty to stealing valuables from customers and was immediately sentenced to 120 hours of community service.

Erin Aaberg, 41, of Aliso Viejo, on March 21 also was sentenced to three days of jail, or credit for time served. She was also placed on three years of informal probation.

Aaaberg pleaded guilty to grand theft and petty theft, both misdemeanors. The grand theft charge was knocked down from a felony as part of the plea deal.

The grand theft happened Feb. 5, 2018, and the petty theft was on Jan. 14, according to court records.

Orange County sheriff’s investigators say the first reported theft was in April of last year, when a victim reported a diamond bracelet and gold pendant valued at more than $11,000 was missing, according to Carrie Braun, a spokeswoman for the sheriff’s department.

The victim initially did not know who had taken the gems from her home, which had been recently renovated with multiple contractors having access to the house, Braun said.

An investigator said that Aaberg sold a gold pendant to a jewelry store in Mission Viejo in December, which the victim identified as hers, Braun said.

Another victim told investigators a ring was stolen in 2017 when the defendant was hired to organize her home, Braun said. Aaberg returned the ring when she thought she would get reward money, Braun said.

Another victim who hired the defendant in January told investigators he noticed multiple gift cards missing from her residence, and that surveillance video showed the suspect leaving the home with the goods, according to Braun.

When he confronted Aaberg she returned the gift cards, Braun said.