Woman Buys Capris At Goodwill And Finds A $6,000 Ring
By: Kelly York
Here's the story of Deb Thompson, who went to her local Goodwill in Coon Rapids, Minn., to seek some bargain capri pants and came home with the surprise of a lifetime.
Drawn to the flashy fake gems studding the pockets of the white capri pants, Thompson plunked down a modest $3.99 for the second-hand fashion find. But when Thompson got home and tried them on, she discovered what seemed to be a diamond ring in one of the front pockets.
“I took the ring out of my pocket and I sat on the floor with my daughter and her fiancé,” Thompson told ABC News. “I put my arm out in the center and I opened it in my palm and we all just went, ‘Wow. Oh my God.’”
A local jeweler confirmed the ring was, in fact, the real deal worth between $5,000 and $6,500. The ring was described an an engagement ring with a diamond center stone and diamond sides stones. But, instead of taking a finder's keepers attitude, Thompson started on a mission to find the rightful owner.
First, she told her story to an ABC reporter. Then she put up a “Lost and Found” story on her own Facebook page. Next, she enlisted the help of Goodwill/Easter Seals Minnesota, which posted a blurb about the ring on its Facebook page along with a link to the ABC News story.
“I need to find the owner,” she said, “and I’d love to hear the story of how [the ring] got in there.”
Over the next few days, Thompson's story went viral, with numerous blogs and news sources picking it up. As of Sunday night, the Goodwill/Easter Seals Minnesota Facebook post had generated 246 "Likes" and 338 comments, including a mix of people applauding Thompson for her honesty.
Goodwill has received about 30 inquiries so far from people claiming to be the rightful owner, Lisa Ritter, marketing director of Goodwill/Easter Seals Minnesota, told the Daily News. "We have to get some of our due diligence done."
Thompson told ABC News: "This is how I see this whole story ending: Somebody comes forward, says they lost the ring, says they're insured and have the papers to prove it. That's how I'm hoping this ends. So far, it's not that way, but we'll see. Only time will tell."
Visit Ben David Jewelers on Facebook
Visit BenDavidJewelers.com
“I took the ring out of my pocket and I sat on the floor with my daughter and her fiancé,” Thompson told ABC News. “I put my arm out in the center and I opened it in my palm and we all just went, ‘Wow. Oh my God.’”
A local jeweler confirmed the ring was, in fact, the real deal worth between $5,000 and $6,500. The ring was described an an engagement ring with a diamond center stone and diamond sides stones. But, instead of taking a finder's keepers attitude, Thompson started on a mission to find the rightful owner.
First, she told her story to an ABC reporter. Then she put up a “Lost and Found” story on her own Facebook page. Next, she enlisted the help of Goodwill/Easter Seals Minnesota, which posted a blurb about the ring on its Facebook page along with a link to the ABC News story.
“I need to find the owner,” she said, “and I’d love to hear the story of how [the ring] got in there.”
Over the next few days, Thompson's story went viral, with numerous blogs and news sources picking it up. As of Sunday night, the Goodwill/Easter Seals Minnesota Facebook post had generated 246 "Likes" and 338 comments, including a mix of people applauding Thompson for her honesty.
Goodwill has received about 30 inquiries so far from people claiming to be the rightful owner, Lisa Ritter, marketing director of Goodwill/Easter Seals Minnesota, told the Daily News. "We have to get some of our due diligence done."
Thompson told ABC News: "This is how I see this whole story ending: Somebody comes forward, says they lost the ring, says they're insured and have the papers to prove it. That's how I'm hoping this ends. So far, it's not that way, but we'll see. Only time will tell."
Visit Ben David Jewelers on Facebook
Visit BenDavidJewelers.com