Republican candidate for governor Walker Stapleton and wife Jenna Stapleton once filed a police report accusing one of their three nannies of stealing several of their belongings, including thousands of dollars’ worth of jewelry, a $500 belt, a $200 hat, their son’s sippy cup, their daughter’s hair bows, and their underwear.
The 2015 report from the Greenwood Village Police Department explains that during that period of time, the Stapletons traveled often, and frequently left their children with three nannies. After being unable to locate several items, Jenna Stapleton began to suspect that one of their nannies had been stealing.
But before taking matters to the police, Jenna and Walker attempted to set a trap, placing twenty dollar bills sticking visibly out of a book in hopes that they would catch the suspected nanny in the act of stealing.
It didn’t work, however, because Walker Stapleton forgot how much money he left in the book as bait, according to the police report.
Jenna Stapleton then went to the Greenwood Village Police Department to report missing items: first, she told them, it was her daughter’s hair bows, which she noticed were gone after returning from vacation. Then, a ruby and diamond encrusted gold bracelet from her jewelry box, one of her earrings (which she later found, but still suspected the nanny tried to steal), a belt, and a hat. And then there was the case of the missing sippy cup and a few pairs of Walker and Jenna’s undergarments. Jenna didn’t remember exactly how many pairs of underwear, according to the report.
So why the suspicion? And why only accuse one of the three nannies?
Confusingly, the report says items had gone missing over a four-month period, but Jenna told police that the suspected nanny was the only one with access to the house during that period of time. There was also a time that Walker saw the nanny standing near the jewelry drawer in their bedroom, Jenna told the police. But according to the report, “one of the responsibilities of [the accused nanny] was to clean the house including their bedroom so it would not be out of the normal chores to be in their room cleaning.”
Jenna also told police that once she was unable to find her son’s favorite sippy cup and asked the nanny if she’d seen it. The nanny said she had not, but then Jenna found the cup in its usual spot the next day. Jenna apparently suspected the nanny of taking the cup and replacing it after being confronted.
As for the missing underwear, the nanny in question “often washed clothing in the home.”
Jenna did, however, concede that it’s easy to lose things in their large Greenwood Villiage home.
“Jennifer did admit that among the large household it can sometimes be difficult to keep track of specific items,” the police report reads. “She stated that she is an organized person but can sometimes lose track among the children and household.”
The accused nanny, when interviewed by the police, also said it was common for items to go missing in the large house, echoing Jenna’s statement. She also said she didn’t take any of these items, and that she was willing to do anything she could to help exonerate herself.
When interviewed by police, another one of the nannies described the accused nanny as a “very professional” woman who “worked hard to provide for her daughter who still lives in Africa.” She also called her a “non-materialistic individual” and said she doesn’t believe the accused nanny would have any use for the items stolen.
Police didn’t find sufficient evidence in the case to place the nanny in question under arrest for alleged theft.
The Stapleton campaign didn’t respond to an email requesting comment on the case.
