Woman accused of robbing neighbors

HOLLADAY — It wasn't the news Dan Wixom and his wife wanted to hear.

"He said, 'You'll never see that ring again. They usually melt them down and take the diamonds out,' " Wixom recalled a sheriff's investigator telling him.

Wixom's house had been burglarized — for the second time. Among the many items stolen was his wife's wedding ring, which she had owned for 48 years. Although monetarily it was a "valuable" ring, he said the sentimental value made it irreplaceable.

But recently, a Salt Lake County sheriff's deputy called the Wixoms with some good news.

"I can't believe it, we found your ring," Wixom said the deputy told him.

In addition to recovering several pieces of Wixom's stolen property, the sheriff's office also arrested the person they believed was responsible.

Investigators say Sumi-Ko Wiley was always walking around her neighborhood. But rather than taking a stroll for exercise, detectives say she was actually casing out her area.

Monday, Wiley, 22, was charged in 3rd District Court with 23 felony and misdemeanor counts, including theft, burglary, theft by deception and unlawful use of a credit card.

"If it wasn't nailed down, it was OK for her (to take)," said Salt Lake County Sheriff's Lt. Don Hutson.

For about three months, investigators believe Wiley would stroll around her neighborhood, in the area of 4800 South and 1500 East, and take any opportunity she could find to burglarize her neighbors' homes.

One day, Wiley was cutting through Wixom's backyard, when Wixom and his wife spotted her and asked what she was doing.

"We seen her jump over the fence and go toward the barn by the swimming pool. She said, 'I'm just going to catch a bus.' I told her, 'You can't go through there,' " Wixom said.

Wiley left but went straight to the front of the house, Hutson said. Knowing the Wixoms were in the back, she allegedly entered their house through the front garage, went to their bedroom and took the wife's purse, credit cards and her wedding ring on her dresser, he said.

"My wife was just really upset about it," Wixom said of the loss of the ring.

At first, the Wixoms thought the ring was simply misplaced. Then, as their grandchildren came to visit, they noticed other things were missing, like a Nintendo Wii. As residents started noticing more items missing, they started piecing it all together.