Estate sales business owner arrested for theft

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Diane M. Janik

A 68-year-old Baxter County woman who runs a business conducting estate, moving and garage sales was arrested on two felony counts of theft Tuesday morning.

According to a news release from Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery, Diane Marie Janik faces two counts of theft of property.

Sheriff Montgomery says Janik, who conducted business as Estate/Moving or Garage Sales by Diane, allegedly bilked two clients by conducting sales and never delivering the proceeds to the clients.

The sheriff says on July 16, his office received a report from a victim who had contracted with Janik to sell personal property items after the victim sold her home and moved out of town. The arrangement called for Janik to keep 30 percent of the proceeds and deposit the remaining profit in the victim’s bank account. The sale had been conducted in late April.

Investigators contacted Janik after receiving the complaint, with Janik allegedly providing “an excuse and promised to pay the victim immediately.” As of July 26, the victim still had not receive any payment from Janik.

A second victim contacted the sheriff’s office and reported they had established a similar agreement with Janik on April 28 to conduct a moving sale, which was held in June. As of July 20, the victim had not been paid. The release says Janik “again came up with excuses as to why the money had not been sent to the victim.”

Investigators applied for a warrant for Janik on the theft charges, which was issued Friday, with Janik surrendering to authorities Tuesday. Electronic jail records indicate Janik was released on a $10,000 bond Tuesday morning. She is scheduled to appear in Circuit Court on Aug. 12.

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