A Tennessee man was arrested in Georgia after he tried to pass off a stolen ring worth over $95,000 at a jewelry store for money.
The Acworth Police Department said 41-year-old Brandon McNeece, of Whitwell, Tennessee, was arrested on the following charges: theft by bringing stolen property into the state, receiving stolen property greater than $1,500, possession of cocaine and possession of meth.
Authorities said, “McNeece walked into Celestial Jewelers on Nov. 4 with the intent of selling a 9.46-carat diamond ring. While reviewing the certificate of authenticity, store employees saw inconsistencies with the name and address and immediately began doing a little detective work.”
“The employees were able to find the phone number of the real owner, and it was determined the ring was stolen from Chattanooga, Tennessee,” authorities added.
In a Facebook post, the jeweler said the employees tracked down the real owners and distracted the thief until Acworth police arrived at the store.
“There is a 90-year-old lady that is super happy she is getting her ring back! So glad we could help recover such an important heirloom,” the post read.
At the end of its Facebook post, the business reminded jewelry owners to document all of their purchases.
“Just a reminder, be sure you have pictures and appraisals of all your jewelry items in a safe, protected place just in case,” the post said.
To add to the ring theft, the motorcycle McNeece rode to the store was also stolen. The location it was stolen from was not disclosed.
McNeece was booked into the Cobb County Adult Detention Center on $110,220 bond.
