Hunt interrupted by park employees....good!

[Monty]

I was in my hunted out park this morning and after recovering several coins was on my way to my truck to install new batteries. I was hailed by a park employee who said she needed my help. A lady had lost a diamond ring in the park yesterday. It was appraised at over $15,000.00. She wanted to know if I had found it or if I would look for it. I told her I would look for it it the owner could narrow down the site to other than just "in the park" as the park covers about 40 acres. She pointed out an area of about an acre in size and said it was somewhere in there. Out of curiosity I ran my detector over a little of the area and found it to be riddled with junk, making the chore of finding the ring extremely difficult. I have a phone call in to the person who lost it hoping to get more details. I told the receptionist I didn't want to be paid to look for it nor did I expect a reward and I would return it if I found it. It has been several hours and my call has not been returned. So, my dilemma....should I go look for it if the lady doesn't respond to my phone call and what if I find it? Your input? Monty

 

[TXKajun]

Oh, man. Tough call. I'd say give the lady at least a couple of days to repond. She may be busy, out of town or just unavailable right now. But if you don't hear anything before the weekend, I'd say go for it. After all, if there's lots of trash, isn't there a good chance that the area hadn't been too worked over? You might be able to find some keepers even if you don't luck across the ring. If the lady gets back to you and can narrow the search area down, then, once again, go for it and concentrate on the smaller area. Either way, you're out detecting, no?

But I'm brand new to this, so what the heck do I know? :P LOL


HH and good luck!

 

[Capt. Buzzkill]

8)
No return call...then she gave up and is hitting up her insurance company on the ring. So...now...finders keepers...good luck.

CB

 

[jeff of pa]

Go search for it awhile.

? You Don't need to Dig all the Signals, Odds are it's still Above Ground.
Just Check all Signals By Scratching in the Gras Where You Get Signals.

Maby you'll Get Lucky & find it Before She Calls, Then When she Does You can Say "GUESS WHAT"?
& if she Dosn't call back, And you DO find it, Give her another Call saying you Found it.

NO MATTER WHAT.

? It ISN'T FINDERS KEEPERS when you Know How to Contact the Original owner.
AND like you I would NEVER Charge someone to BUY back their Own Item.

Just My "HONEST" opinion.

HAPPY HUNTING & GOOD LUCK !

jeff

 

[DugHoles]

A acre is a large section of land to cover. I would wait until the lady can narrow down the area a bit for ya. Give her another call, if no response then, OPEN SEASON.

Oh, by the way, I didn't get address on where that ring was lost........ Must of missed it......

GL & HH,

DugHoles

 

[Snee]

You can set your detector to search for gold and discriminate against most else can't you? ?Do it, and whether or not you find it, you can have the good feeling of knowing that you're doing everything in your power to help someone in need. ?Whatever you do, like it was just said, "finders keepers" is the most selfish thing you could do. ?Besides, you gave your word. ?Anyway, the best of luck on contacting the woman and on finding that ring! ?(TAKE A PICTURE IF YOU FIND IT, before you return it! ?I want to see this 15k diamond ring!! )

 

[Gigisdiamonds]

Monty I think you must be teasing ? You have a good heart and know what to do without asking! LOL? I bet you just want to see how many people will say keep it or give it back!?

? Well guess this is a "honesty" test! I say... if it was killing you to keep to give it back still.... you would never really be happy or blessed to keep someones ring that you knew was looking for it and you had a clue how to get in touch with them...and even had? someone ask for your to help to find it!

Its great to find something thats lost but there is always someone that was disappointed or even broken hearted to lose it! That is just the way it is ...but if we know who lost something its just fair to give it back. There is eonugh out there for all of us to enjoy finding!

 

[SaintSea]

Good Lord, Monty! It's a moot point until you actually find the bling-bling! So, I say, get back out there and when you come up with the ring, try to reach the owner again. If she doesn't bother to contact you (maybe because the insurance is going to kick in) then I figure it's yours! In any event, it's gonna add a whole new element of fun to your normal "hunted out" park visits! Go, Monty, Go! and for goodness sakes, take pictures!
Ruth

 

[grizzly bare]

Monty!
An old dog like you? You don't need to ask that question. How many stories have we read that mention your past career? Have a good hunt, take some pictures if you find it, and then get that ring back to its owner. Shame on you for trying to fool us. We know you well enough to guess what you're going to do and "Finders keepers" ain't in your vocabulary.
grizzly bare (detect for fun...that's enough profit )

 

[wmas1960]

This is just me but if I didn't have anything better to do and was one to just want to get out and detect, I would go ahead and systematically search the area that was pointed out. I would, maybe, look at the area and identify some high possibility areas to search. Like if there are any benches there, perhaps a shaded tree area, water fountain or what have you. Cover those types of areas especially well. Then, if you do get a call back, go search any specific area that might be mentioned. Like was mentioned, who knows what else you might find. Might find enough change or other jewelry to make it worth your while.

If I did find anything of special value, whether the ring in question or any other jewelry, I would take it and drop it at the park office or police for lost and found. I spoke to someone about a ring that I found and the suggestion was to photograph anything you find. Take it to a jeweler for an appraisal or professional discription. Keep that documentation along with a badge number and or name of whom you leave it with. Make sure you leave your name and phone number. In most cases, if not claimed in a time frame, usually specified by law or ordinance.... etc., the found objects are returned to the finder. Hopefully, then, if nobody claims anything you find, you will get it back yourself.

I, basically, detect for the fun of getting out and detecting. I am not looking for anything particular and, for me, the beer caps on the the beach are just as interesting and telling about the culture etc., around here and thus valuable, as the rings and stuff that I might find. Of course nothing can beat finding a nice gold and diamond ring but of all the stuff that I have found, I have found only one such ring. I have found a couple of common earings and another hand made bronze ring, but, most of what I find are common coins, bottle caps, nails, pull tabs, toys, wire... The most interesting items, other than the jewelry, that I have found, are a drain plug from a boat, a couple of foriegn coins, some diecast cars, a chunk of concrete with some rebar in it. I also find it interesting how the finds differ in some areas compared to others. Park play lots seem to be pretty free of trash and have a lot of coins, some childrens jewelry, zipper pulls from jackets and toys. One school play lot that I searched has similar coins and zipper pulls but add in paper clips and the eraser ends from pencils. Then, the beach is full of coins and pull tabs, beer caps, nails and lots of trash.

I have only just started with hard land like my back yard. I look forward to doing more because it seems very unpredictable what one can find. I had our area pegged as boring and not likely to yield much of anything as it isn't particulary old, was farm land before the subdivision was laid out etc. However in about an hour of searching, I found a few coins and a key chain that date to since we have lived here, I found a metal tag for a variety of rose bush, probably from the previous owners who had a rose garden in the middle of the yard, an old garden nozzle for the hose and some building materials, probably from when the house was built. Then there was a 1928 45cal bullet that I dug up. In tact with the slug in the shell. Anyway, there is so much to be learned and discovered through metal detecting. Sometimes the prize is the history and information that can be found and the objects are just the evidance that leads to that understanding. So, I would just say go search anyways. You never know what you might find.

 

[stoney56]

If you do find it-then call. You never know-knew a gentleman here that fould a Rolex at a local ballfield and tracked the owner by SN# and called him. The owner said go ahead and keep it as was reimbursed by his insurance co.

 

[renegade_7]

I'd still search the park for the usual finds, and if the ring turns up and she phones you, great. If she never phones you, greater still. If you make the effort and nothing materializes, finders keepers. Just my thoughts.

 

[Noodle]

Monty,
I don't think I've ever seen a $15,000 diamond ring! I shouldn't think it should be too hard to locate, given the SIZE of the thing. It's gotta be just sitting on the ground unless someone stepped on it and smushed it into the dirt a ways. I say go for it if you're up to it.

'Course the downside would be if she got home and found it lying right there on the dresser where she left it before going to the park! And thinking you might be just waiting for her return call to go back looking, she may just never call you back.

Let us know what you decide to do!! And yes, WHEN you find it, we gotta see it!!

 

[hollowpointred]

this is what i would do...........until the ring is found, it doesn't do anyone any good. go look for it. find it,and then try your damnedest to return it.if you still cant return it after doing your absolute best,then add it to the collection.good luck.

 

[outtachaos]

If I found it I would at least give her my "two calls" rule. If she didn't bother to return my calls after two more attempts at reaching her, well then..............

And Stoney may be right as well, she may say "just keep it" cause of insurance reimbursements. I would say the insurance coverage is $15,000....the ring may be worth a little less.

And Noodle had a point as well...............she may have found it at home when she returned and never bothered to call the park employee. So I'm just as confused as when I began typing this reply....LMAO.

EVERYONE is right is saying its a moot point until the ring is found. I hope you do find it and post here!!

 

[JakePhelps]

Whatever you do id hurry up, if its sitting on top of the grass someone could find it and keep it

 

[spotz]

Retired LEO doesn't have to think about it too hard. What else do you have to do. It's a personal challange now. Probably make it into W&E magazine if you have success. Best!
Spotz

 

[rabajohn]

Monty, you might better call her back in couple of days if she does not call you first. I had the same thought go through my mind as Noodle. She may not have returned your call because she later found her ring in her purse or something. That would save you a lot of anxiety and not to mention, junk diggin'.

 

[Moonshadow]

My thoughts....................What if the ring has already been found by a passerby? What if you don't find it? Will she believe that you didn't find it or will she think you're keeping it for yourself?

Meanwhile....I'm with the others here. If she doesn't contact you....consider it yours!! Good luck with this dilemma.

Happy Hunting!

Moon

 

[Monty]

Not really a dilemma for me I would give it back. What intrigued me more than anything was all the other targets I hit while running a survey of the general area. I got a ot of hits indicating silver or at least in the silver range. It is in an area that you would think contained nothing, but.....? Maybe that's what all the detectorists before me thought? Oh well, the hunted out park may have more life in it than I ever expected, but then again it could be all trash! But then again? Heck yes I will be there in the morning with my small coil on the old 2500, seeing what I can sort out. If I find it OK, and if I don't , OK too! Monty