NEW YORK – Dental assistant Arieta Gouvakis, 38, was arrested on February 8 for allegedly stealing jewelry from patients while they were sedated with nitrous oxide, ABC 7 Eyewitness News reported.

Charged with grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property, Gouvakis had only worked at Long Island Implant and Cosmetic Dentistry, 31 Fairway Drive in Rocky Point, with Dr. Elliot Koschitzk for three weeks before she was arrested. The theft allegedly took place January 31 and February 1 while “the patients were in ‘twilight,’ under nitrous oxide,” Suffolk County Police Chief Stuart Cameron said, Eyewitness News reported.

According to the authorities, “neither patient realized their jewelry was missing until after they left the office,” Eyewitness News reported, adding that “the Suffolk County Police Property Recovery Squad recovered the stolen jewelry from local pawn shops,” and “the dental office cooperated fully with the investigation once they were notified of the allegations.”

Dr. Nick Augenbaum, also with the dental practice, said Gouvakis “has since been fired,” Eyewitness News reported.

“As soon as we were notified by our patients, we called the Suffolk County PD,” Augenbaum told the Eyewitness News and then thanked Suffolk police officers for quickly recovering the patients’ stolen items.

Gouvakis was arrested at her home in Manorville, Eyewitness News reported, adding that “authorities say she has prior arrests and that her motivation may have been to feed a drug habit.”

Anyone with information, including other patients who think they have also been victimized by Gouvakis, should contact the Seventh Squad at 631-852-8752.