CORONA DEL MAR TODAY

Rings Keep Disappearing — and Reappearing — at CdM Senior Center

For the second time in three months, a resident of a Corona del Mar senior living facility has reported an expensive diamond ring stolen — then mysteriously returned.

The latest case involved a 95-year-old woman who lives at the Belmont Village of Crown Cove community at 3901 East Coast Highway. She had reported that someone stole her $15,000 diamond ring, replacing it with a ring of lesser value. The real ring was replaced anonymously underneath the manager’s door on Saturday, said Lt. Craig Fox.

In June, another resident of Belmont Village told police that her $8,000 ring was stolen off her finger while she slept in her private, locked room.

“On that incident, no replacement ring was put on the victim’s finger, and that ring was returned anonymously underneath the manager’s door,” Fox said.

The center is home to Alzheimer’s patients, and the latest victim was described in a police report as suffering from dementia — but there was no doubt her ring had been stolen and returned, police said.

Detectives are looking at all possible leads, including the review of staff at the location, Fox said.

Thieves often target vulnerable victims, including those attending funeral services and those in senior facilities or in hospitals, Newport Beach crime prevention specialists say. If you or a loved one is going into a care facility or hospital, they advise leaving valuables and jewelry safely at home.

Renata Smith, executive director for Belmont Village, said she and her staff were cooperating with the investigation. But she added that the rings might have been lost or misplaced . “We don’t exactly know that it was stolen,” she said. “A ring was missing and a ring was returned.”

She added, “We regret any kind of disturbance.”

Read our earlier coverage here.