$27K ring stolen right off woman’s finger in Naples

NAPLES, Fla.- A man says his wife’s expensive engagement ring was stolen right off her finger when a stranger hugged her.

“The last place in the world that I would think something like that would happen is in Naples,” Gerard Schilling said.

Schilling and his wife Anne were celebrating their granddaughter’s engagement at the Avenue Wine Cafe on 5th Avenue South when they started talking to a group of people at the next table.

“There was a table along side of us that came in a little bit later but they heard
the conversation and they were saying ‘congratulations,'” Schilling said.

Schilling says as they got up to leave, one of the women gave his wife a bear hug.

“This young gal, grabbed her, grabbed her hand, the one with the ring on it
and hugged her.”

That night, Schilling’s wife noticed the ring was missing.

“She normally goes and puts the two rings, her engagement ring and her wedding ring, in one spot,” Schilling said, “and she screamed and said ‘my engagement ring is gone!'”

The gold ring with a 2.2 carat diamond is valued at $27,000. On Monday, Schilling called his insurance company who told him to make a report
with the Naples Police Department. Detectives told Schilling they’d circulate the picture in Naples and in Fort Myers.

“Then they send it out and certain states pick it up and also check at pawn shops,” Schilling said. “And if they’ve had similar incidents, it may be the same people that are traveling around.”

The Schillings are now warning others to watch out and to not get too friendly with anyone they don’t know.

“Be careful, very careful,” Schilling said.