The Puyallup Tribe of Washington is investigating the apparent theft of several historical items from the home of an elder.

But with an auction house set to sell the baskets and beaded items on Monday, elder Ramona Hawthorne doesn't think she'll ever see them again. She believes a family friend who helps take care of her home stole them.

"He was a good worker, but I didn’t know he was probably stealing from me all the time ‘cause I never went upstairs to see what he was doing," Hawthorne told KING 5 News.

Alan Gorsuch, the owner of Sanford and Sons Auction House, says he bought the items legally. But he contacted the tribe out of concern.

Hawthorne is the granddaughter of Jerry Meeker, who owned the items. Meeker was a tribal leader at the turn of the century.

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Puyallup tribal artifact auction under controversy (KING 5 News 7/15)