CENTER TWP — A 20-year-old township woman hired to help out around the house instead helped herself to nearly $3,000 worth of jewelry, state police said.

The suspect, Lacey L. Winchester, admitted she stole the property to buy drugs, according to court documents.

Police Thursday arrested Winchester on felony counts of theft and receiving stolen property. She was arraigned on the charges and placed in the Butler County Prison on $30,000 bail.

Kathy Gregory-Steiner last week reported the theft of five rings and a bracelet from her house on Route 308. She told police she suspected Winchester took the items, worth $2,750, between May 13 and July 20.

Gregory-Steiner earlier this year had hired the defendant to do odd jobs at the owner’s house and farm, documents said.

Troopers later traced the stolen jewelry to a pair of Butler County gold stores. Receipts at the stores identified Winchester as the seller.

Police on Saturday interviewed the defendant at the barracks. She confessed to taking the property after Gregory-Steiner invited her into the house.

“Winchester related that she pawned the jewelry to get money for her drug addiction,” according to a police affidavit.

Her preliminary hearing in the case will be held Aug. 6 before District Judge Lewis Stoughton in Chicora.