How can i retrieve items that a caretaker has stolen or lost?

Question

I left my house for a week and paid a girl (18) to watch the house, feed the dogs, yada yada. I come home and find that she has had numerous parties at my home. I also find that a few expensive items are missing. A Nintendo DS and an Xbox 360 are nowhere to be found. When i confronted her she denied it, of course, and denied knowing where they went. I was wondering if she is liable for the items that have gone missing and if so, what can i do to get my items back. The total cost of the items exceeds 1000$ if that helps

Answer 1

When you hired her (paying her for the job) she agreed to be responsible for your place and contents.  You can take her to small claims court (sue her) for the costs of your items.  You can turn it into your insurance company, who will then sue her for their reimbursement.  And you can take this as a lesson learned, and make sure the person you hire the next time comes with more trust and responsibility.  I always use a close relative that knows I can make life hard on them.