A man who attempted to sell a stolen ring to a Cobb County jewelry store last Friday was arrested, police said.
Officers were called to Celestial Jewelers along Cobb Parkway after Brandon McNeece, 41, tried to sell a 9.46 carat diamond ring valued at $95,000, Acworth police said. The jewelry was found to be stolen from Chattanooga, Tennessee, about 25 miles from McNeece’s home in Whitwell, according to authorities.
It was when the store owner was reviewing a picture of the certificate of authenticity that police said she noticed a different name and address attached to it.
“The appraisal had the owner’s name clipped off and part of the address, but I was still able to read just enough of the address,” Celestial Jewelers co-owner Ronda Brummett told Channel 2 Action News.
Authorities said she was able to find the phone number for the ring’s out-of-state owner and verified it was reported stolen.
“The lady is in her 90s, and she is currently in the hospital, and from my understanding wasn’t doing very well,” Brummett said. “She wanted to wear her diamond and be wearing it in the event that she passed because it was so important to her.”
Police said the motorcycle McNeece rode to the Acworth store was also reported stolen. He is facing charges of theft by bringing stolen property into the state, receiving stolen property greater than $1,500 and other drug-related charges.
“Coming over the state lines with a $100,000 stolen diamond on a stolen motorcycle to sell a diamond here in Acworth, Georgia, is not something that happens often,” police spokesman Eric Mistretta told Channel 2.
McNeece was being held in the Cobb County Jail in lieu of a $110,220 bond.
The incident remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact Acworth police at 770-974-1232.
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