• North Carolina has laws to protect residents from theft at assisted living facilities.flanieren image by Ilan Amith from Fotolia.com
  
  In North Carolina, an assisted living facility provides residential care for aged or disabled persons and offers occasional medical care as needed. The elderly are at high risk to become victims of theft and other crimes, so assisted living facilities are places where theft can be a serious concern. North Carolina has several protections in place for residents of assisted living facilities.
  
  

Right to Protect Property From Theft

• Every resident of North Carolina has the right to protect his personal property from theft. According to North Carolina's Adult Care Home Bill of Rights, every assisted living resident is entitled to a lockable space for securing personal valuables. This locked area only can be accessible to the residents and the supervisor of the facility. If an assisted living facility has authority to access a resident's personal funds or bank accounts, the resident has the right to examine all the transactions that are made on her behalf.
  
  

Theft and Abuse Hot Line

• To address the problem of theft and other dangers in assisted living facilities, North Carolina Senate Bill 622 requires facilities to post a complaint hot line number. This number must be posted in a communal space where all residents can see it. Those residents who believe that they are a victim of theft or who have witnessed a theft can report it by calling the Division of Health Services complaint line at 800-624-3004.
  
  

Criminal Charges

• If employees are stealing from residents, they can be criminally prosecuted. North Carolina Criminal Code § 14-72 prohibits stealing goods from a resident. Anyone who steals a resident's personal valuables is guilty of larceny (theft of goods) and can be punished by a maximum of 10 years in prison. If an assisted living employee steals from a resident's bank accounts or personal funds, he is guilty of embezzlement under North Carolina Criminal Code § 14-90. Embezzlement is punishable by up to 50 years in prison if the amount stolen is $100,000 or more, or 10 years in prison if the amount stolen is less than $100,000.