VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – The executive director of an Arya senior living facility in Volusia County is accused of stealing and selling residents’ jewelry, according to sheriff’s officials.
The sheriff’s office on Friday announced Shaun Burstein, 45, of Sanford, had an active arrest warrant for dealing in stolen property and theft from a person 65 years of age or older. Burstein later turned himself in, officials said.
According to deputies, an investigation began when an engagement ring was reported missing from a resident’s bedroom at the facility off Signature Drive in DeBary.
“Video surveillance showed Executive Director Shaun Burstein entering the unoccupied room, going to the area of the jewelry box, and leaving shortly afterward. Additional footage captured a separate incident in which Burstein attempted to open the jewelry box before noticing the camera and leaving,” the sheriff’s office wrote on Facebook.
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Detectives said pawn records showed Burstein had sold multiple pieces of jewelry, including the engagement ring. The sheriff’s office said during an interview that Burstein admitted to stealing jewelry from multiple residents and selling the items at pawn shops.
Deputies said more than 93 pieces of jewelry were sold from Sept. 23, 2025, to Dec. 30, 2025.
A spokesperson for the senior living facility provided the following statement to News 6:
The safety and well-being of our residents remain our highest priority. We are cooperating fully with law enforcement authorities, and Mr. Burstein is no longer employed at the community.
Arya DeBary Human Resources
“It was just unbelievable,” said resident Sandy McLaughlin. “I was blown away.”
McLaughlin said that as a senior, it’s not uncommon to misplace items, which can delay suspicion of theft.
“When you get my age, you think, ‘What did I do with that?’ Sometimes it shows up, and sometimes it doesn’t,” she said. “I guess we all feel a little betrayed.”
Another resident, Bob Jones, echoed the sentiment, saying he was “shocked” by the allegations.
Bob Jones, who has been visiting his wife at the facility for the past three months, expressed concern about what the situation could mean for residents and their families moving forward. The couple has been married for more than 72 years.
“We are supposed to be involved with that particular person to do the proper thing with our John Hancock lifetime care, and now, I’m wondering how that will work out for us,” he said.
“It’s a very nice place to live, very active. They give people what they need, and we’re not lonely,” McLaughlin said. “I hate that this blanket is thrown over it, but we will survive.”
An investigation is ongoing. Deputies ask anyone who may be a victim or who believes their family member is a victim to contact Detective Patel at ANPatel@volusiasheriff.gov .