Rarely do stories about crime in our community have a happy outcome. In the Nov. 8 edition of your paper, the lead story in the police section was about a couple living at Aljoya Mercer Island who reported a theft of jewelry valued at approximately $62,000 to police.

I am happy to report that no theft occurred. Rather, our residents, who have a bicoastal lifestyle, located their missing jewelry in a safe place on the East Coast on Tuesday, Dec. 4. The couple had not been able to access their jewelry on a recent trip back east due to Hurricane Sandy, and mistakenly thought it had been taken from their home inside Aljoya. Fortunately, they visited family early this month, and called to tell us that the jewelry is safe and sound on the East Coast.

Aljoya Mercer Island has not had any theft incidents since its opening in 2007.

Aljoya is part of Era Living, a family-owned, Seattle-based company of eight premier retirement communities. In 2011 the Mercer Island Chamber of Commerce named Aljoya the Business of the Year. Aljoya offers a warm, vibrant lifestyle, a vast array of amenities, rich programming, and exceptional independent living, assisted living, and nursing care.

Marla Becker

Executive Director