The Dare County Sheriff’s Department is warning locals and visitors to be extra vigilant about locking up their valuables with particular emphasis on jewelry.
“This guy loves jewelry,” said DCSD’s spokesman, John R. Reue. “Rings in particular. Well, to be honest, rings almost exclusively.”
To date, the thief has broken into 38 homes and dozens of motor vehicles in search of valuables. He has stolen 14 wedding rings, 11 engagement rings, 8 class rings, 4 costume jewelry style rings and one Jack-in-the-Box secret decoder ring.
“The kids was devastated about that,” said Deputy Reue. “Happily we were able to recover it later in a nearby trash can.”
The suspect is described as a barefoot male, approximately 4’2”, 85 lbs., wearing shorts and long stringy hair. Deputy Reue said he has been checking with local area pawn shops and drug dealers to see if the rings have been traded in but so far none of them have turned up.
The thief was nearly caught last Thursday when he broke into the home of Sam Gamgee. Mr. Gamgee woke to sniveling sounds coming from his closet and caught a glimpse of the thief as he darted from the room.
“He moved fast,” remarked Mr. Gamgee. “Light weren’t too good, so I didn’t get much of a look but I heard him say something like ‘the precious is mine’ afore he left. Got my damn 1989 First Flight State Champion wrastlin’ ring.”
Mr. Gamgee’s outdoor securing cameras caught a fleeting image of the suspect which the Sheriff’s department has circulated along with a description of the thief. Anyone with information is urged to call the Sheriff’s Department or the Outer Banks Crime Stoppers.