LancasterOnline.com:News:Rings worth $16K stolen at Manheim Twp. gym

Rings worth $16K stolen at Manheim Twp. gym

May 27, 2009 11:38 EST

Lancaster

By JANET KELLEY, Staff Writer

She didn't typically go to the gym on Mondays and never wore her rings there.

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But on Monday morning, Vicki Stutz was off work for the Memorial Day holiday and decided to go to Universal Athletic Club, 2323 Oregon Pike.

Realizing she was wearing her diamond engagement and wedding rings when she went into the tanning booth, Stutz said she took them off and set them on the shelf nearby.

Then she went home and worked in the garden.

By the time she realized the rings weren't on her hand, Stutz said, the club was closed.

When she returned to the health club the next day, her rings were gone.

Stutz described both rings as white gold with diamond chips. The engagement ring, she said, also had three large princess-cut diamonds on it.

Total value of both, according to Stutz, is $16,000.

Stutz, 43, a city school teacher, said she was married only last November and the rings mean a great deal to her.

"My husband is not a wealthy man," Stutz said, "but he made a lot of sacrifices to get those rings for me."

The rings had not yet been added to their insurance policy, Stutz said.

"I just want them returned to the gym, no questions asked," she said today. "I'd just like to have them back."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Manheim Township Police at 569-6401.

Staff writer Janet Kelley can be reached at jkelley@LNPnews.com or 481-6026.

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Showing 5 most recent comments out of 31 total TalkBack comments about this article
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QUOTE (SteelerFanInPA @ May 28 2009, 11:32 AM)

Why are they being reported stolen? She lost them.

No, she didn't lose them. She knows exactly where she put them. Someone else removed them. Hence, the word "stolen" would be applicable. I'm not sure why this is difficult for people to understand.

I'm also not sure why she has been branded an "idiot" for this. Have you never done something absent-minded, or been preoccupied? I left my lights on in my car this morning. Oops, I must be an idiot!

I also hope she gets them back.

Pirate Jenny

QUOTE (Pirate Jenny @ May 28 2009, 02:30 PM)

I left my lights on in my car this morning. Oops, I must be an idiot!

Is leaving your lights on in your car going to cost you $16,000.00?
I, too, hope she gets them back. But to not have insurance on $16,000.00 worth of jewelry is just plain stupid.

SteelerFanInPA

QUOTE (AlainaTheDaughter @ May 27 2009, 09:23 PM)

Hello my name is Alaina, and the apparent "idiot" that lost her rings, is my mother. My mom is a city school teacher whose life revolves around others and whatever she can do to help. My mom has never had anything as nice as those rings, and I suspect many people have never even had the blessing to have something that nice. Her husband, my step-father, took the money he had saved up for their future to buy her the ring anyone could dream for. He uses those rings as a symbol for the love they share. Even though my mom is my hero, she is human, she makes mistakes. What does it matter if she tans? It's not something that even matters in this story. She took them off so that she wouldnt get lotion in the ring. My mom is a loving,caring person and deserves to have some luxury in her life.

After thought:

To the people who said she wants money for our morgage? We pay our bills on time.
To the people who call her an idiot? She is a human being, she forgets things.
To the people who said its probably lost in her BMW? Our family has a toyota matrix.
To the people who want to dis on her for not getting insurance? She did'nt buy the rings, he did.
To the people who said they cant beleive she took it to the news? They called her.She didnt call them.

Vicki Stutz is a mother, a teacher, a college student, a step-mother, and a very caring person. Just because she lost something important doesn't mean that she deserves to be hated on by people she doesn't even know.
Please consider finding out the truth before bashing her on the internet.
Thank You,
Alaina

I must say that this is the first post I can every remember reading from a family member or friend of someone mentioned in an article that I didn't laugh or think to myself "what an idiot."

Alaina, your post was very nice; I hope your mother gets her rings back but if not, she already has something much more valuable....YOU!

Hope

QUOTE (Hope @ May 28 2009, 06:33 PM)

That was so nice, Hope!

Bigmaclender2

For a fact, someone in the media at some point was contacted by the owner of the ring.
Signs at the gym are placed in strategic areas cautioning people not to leave valuable articles.
Why would something as precious as $16k in rings have to be removed for a tan? If the rings are worn whose going to notice a band on the ring finger that is untanned?
I am a tanner and now have been subjected to phone calls from Universal and the police. The police point blank told me someone is a thief.
By her daughters own admission, her mother is forgettful so much that she didn't even realize the rings were gone between the hours of 8am and 2pm. Everytime I wash my hands I am aware of whether my rings are on.
My point is: if she is so absent minded the rings could have been left anywhere at any time.
Last winter I left a valuable ring at Universal gym. It was turned in later to the lost in found. The entire time it was gone I never faulted the gym or anyone else or even thought to call someone a thief. I left it behind, it was gone......but it was my fault.
I also agree with those who are questioning why there was no insurance. My husband worked very hard to buy a ring which was not nearly so valuable. I asked that we insure it. After all, I was the recipient of the gift. I wasn't going to assume that he would insure it.

herzenlust

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