I have read all the threads. Tell her to immediately send it back to you or she will never get another petsit. Period.
deleted comment. posted in wrong place. not a reply “to Jenny”
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My own mother accused me of stealing a small, worthless travel alarm clock from her guest bedroom because it was there before I came to stay, and not there afterwards. also because I was going a foreign holiday weeks later, and so she assumed I took it for that reason. I live 75 miles away from her. It turned up, in her downstairs living room months later. No apology. It ended my relationship with my mother.
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@RedLassie
Your experience with your own mom belies important life lessons. Thanks for sharing that in context of the original post.
In addition:
Life is short
Don’t sweat the small stuff
People make mistakes
Mistakes do not always equal intent
Beliefs do not always equal facts
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every false accusation is damaging to a relationship. For every action there is a reaction.
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I never accused anyone, I merely asked the question on this platform.
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@travelinglady51
Certainly many of your posts inferred accusation.
Perhaps not your intent, but your posted statements clearly inferred sitter theft —> which many of us would interpret as accusation. Your original posted question was :
Others- both sitters and homeowners alike, have since responded.
I totally respect that you may be unhappy with your own sitter response to your questions about the frame and stopper going missing. Regardless, your forum questions about sitter reviews has been clarified by multiple sitters and homeowners.
The other part of your original post/question was about what do homeowners do when they suspect a theft, or if something is taken and @Jenny - forum moderator provided advice above
Seems like this thread may be completed with the OP question asked and answered?
My own advice is simply now to let it go. 
While that may feel disappointing, we can only choose to go forward for what’s best for ourselves and make alternate plans and choices.
#lifeistooshort
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Rereading this thread, I have thoughts. I don’t know if anyone has read the short story by Chekov usually translated as “Upheaval”, but you could find it free as a PDF online.
I’m sure that the items are missing. I don’t see their being missing as proof that the sitter took them. I’m wondering if there were cleaners or others who could have had access to the home. I’m wondering if there are cats who are good at causing items to fall off of things. I don’t know if the OP looked behind the dresser. If even one of the items turns up there is a good possibility nothing was stolen.
I had a small bottle opener that I can’t find. It was quirky and I have an idea that a long ago sitter took it. I can’t prove that. I wouldn’t accuse them. It does not have the significance to me that the miniture has to the host. If I suddenly found it behind a drawer, I wouldn’t be shocked. The amount of feelings about the missing item isn’t evidence.
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I do my own cleaning so I know my house inside and out.
No, its not behind the dresser, its on a corner and that is the 1st place I looked.
A wine stopper “disappeared” also.
Will not be having that sitter back.
End of story.
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Im so sorry that you seem to be the one so many are presuming is in the wrong. Unbelievable. Hopefully you don’t get such a horrible sitter next time, nor the negative responses on here that seem to think all sitters are perfect. Very poor responses.
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I don’t think all are presuming OP is wrong at all, nor were many responses negative! Many provided specific advice and answered the question asked.
My point (as a homeowner)was about moving on from anchoring on it as nothing can be done - sitter denied knowledge. The OP’s original question was what other homeowners would do, as well as a statement made about giving reviews, which was not entirely accurate as reviews are blinded now.
As homeowners, when left with a less than desirable sit, one can just choose different options going forward and it yes it feels awful when things are just “gone”. 
Not “negative”! just practical. I reiterate caution to the OP about making accusations ( examples given), even though it may feel likely with longstanding items gone. I think many sitters and homeowners above, in the thread, have given the OP practical advice, including support. One can choose to use it or not! Of course, one should always trust own feelings for one’s own home and self, I say. That being said, providing an alternative scenario ( what might have happened) does not presume the OP is “in the wrong”. Personally, I’d move on. (edited for typos/clarity)
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On my last sit, there was all this jewelry in the guest bath. A lot. I didn’t look closely and it could have been all Walmart brand, but this was a large, expensive house, no teens, so I imagine some would have been decent stuff. But I thought it was strange to leave so much jewelry in the guest bath. If I was a young woman I probably would have looked a it. I just found it strange to have that in the guest bath.
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