The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) calls this the story of a sticky-fingered AC technician.
FCSO NEWS RELEASE (EDITED FOR BREVITY AND CLARITY:
“On the 10th of July, Cameron Shafer, an A/C technician with a local company, was sent to a home in Cumming to perform a routine maintenance call. During the maintenance visit he had to check the unit in the basement. The victim and her husband rent the basement apartment from the homeowners.
A few days after the maintenance visit, the victim noticed her diamond/gold wedding ring set was missing from the top drawer of her dresser in the master bedroom. In the closet adjacent to the master bedroom is where the A/C unit is located that was just serviced by Shafer.
Losing your wedding ring is upsetting to any woman, but this was even more upsetting because she and her husband were celebrating their wedding anniversary on the 26th of July without her ring. Our detectives received the report on the 18th and were determined to locate the ring prior to the anniversary date.
They contacted the A/C company and received all personal information on Shafer. With that information and their subsequent investigation, they discovered Shafer had pawned a wedding ring set on the 11th in Norcross, just three miles from his home. The picture of the ring set matched the picture provided by the victim. A “hold” was put on the ring set and the detectives went to the pawn store and retrieved the jewelry.
Shafer was taken into custody at his, now, former place of employment. It was extremely important to the detectives to put cuffs on him to prevent further victims, not just in Forsyth, but the surrounding areas, as well. He was charged with Theft by Taking and Elder Exploitation, both felonies.
The ring was returned to a very happy woman on the 18th of July.”