After five years, stolen ring, owner reunited
Published: February 13, 2006
A stolen diamond ring can go through a lot of hands in five years.
Shirley Hickman, who lives in Lumberton, credits the artistic talent of her former daughter-in-law, Jane Kinlaw, and an elephant’s memory of pawn store owner, Jo Stogner, for the belated return of her pilfered ring.
The ring - and some prescriptions medicines - went missing in October 2000 when burglars invaded Hickman’s home. Hickman, who works for the Lumberton Recreation Department, was preoccupied with her son Michael’s death from leukemia at that time and didn’t give the burglary much thought. [Having Leukemia Isn't So Bad: Of Course It Wouldn't Be My First Choice]
A few days after the burglary, Stogner went to the eye doctor where Michael’s wife, Jane, worked.
“I went to get some new glasses and we got to talking and she told me about her mother’s ring,” Stogner said. “She drew a little picture of the ring so that if it happened to come in the store, I might recognize it.”
Stogner, who owns the House of Quality with her husband Bob, said she put up the drawing in her office, but never came across the customized ring.
“It was a slim chance that I would see it, but I kept the drawing anyway,” Stogner said. “That ring probably went through several hands.”
Stogner said she was cleaning up her office in the pawn shop last month when she ran across what may have been the ring.
“My office is a mess, so one of my resolutions was to clean it up,” Stogner said. “I had this small ring that had come in but was too small to really try to sell. So it had been thrown in a box. It occurred to me that it might be Shirley’s ring.”
Stogner, who attends First Baptist Church with Hickman, said she told her friend about the find at Bible study on Jan. 25.
“She was supposed to come down on Saturday, but she couldn’t wait,” Stogner said. “She was there the next day.”
Hickman said she couldn’t believe her eyes.
“As soon as they showed it to me, I knew that was it,” she said. “It was such a surprise. Because all that had happened at the time, that ring really meant a lot to me.” [Coincidence or Destiny?: Stories of Synchoronicity That Illuminate Our Lives]
Hickman said she had no idea that a drawing of the ring had even been made.
“I’m so thankful to have my ring back,” Hickman said. “God is good. It really is a miracle. After five years, I never thought I would see it again.”
Hickman offered to pay Stogner for the ring, but she refused to accept any payment.
“I just wanted her to have it back because it meant so much to her,” Stogner said. “Sometimes good things really do happen to good people.”
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