HOBART | A 38-year-old Hobart woman was a frequent guest at her grandparents' assisted living apartment. But the visits weren't strictly sociable, police said Thursday.

Tamara Hiestand, who was arrested by police Tuesday, admitted she stole a master key from the office at Brentwood Assisted Living that allowed her access to the apartments she robbed, Lt. Dave Evans said.

"She would help herself to medication and money," he said.

Charges, which are pending through the Lake County prosecutor's office, are expected to be both burglary and theft, he said.

Evans said Hiestand is accused of stealing from residents, including her own grandparents, starting in mid-October and ending with her arrest Tuesday.

He said police had been investigating the string of burglaries and earlier this week were called back to Brentwood Assisted Living in regard to a theft case involving the woman's grandparents.

Hiestand, previously listed as a possible suspect, was at her grandparents' apartment when police arrived, he said.

Police then arrested her after they asked to see her key to the apartment.

"The key was identified by the director as the master key because it had a mark etched on it," Evans said.

He said she told police she used the key to enter apartments of senior citizens not home.

Once inside, she would go to drawers within each apartment where residents kept valuables, including medications and money.

Hiestand is accused of taking approximately $2,800 to $3,000 as well as a variety of medications, including those for heart-related ailments.

"She had so much (medications) that she had to put them into a jar. A lot were recovered. I'm not sure why she was taking them," he said.

Evans said Hiestand was not an employee at Brentwood Assisted Living, which is located behind St. Mary Medical Center.