Metal Detectorist Finds Heirloom Ring Lost At Brewer Hannaford

Brewer Police shared a feel-good story this week, after a man with a metal detector helped a woman find an heirloom ring that she lost in the Hannaford parking lot.

I love this story, not only for the happy ending but because it demonstrates that metal detectors are not only used to search for loose change. Treasure hunting with a metal detector is one of my hobbies, and I've found some old, interesting items. But nothing like this.

According to a post on the Brewer PD's Facebook page, a woman named Tammy went to the Brewer Police Department in January, to report that she had lost a ring that was a family heirloom. It was originally two rings, her mother's engagement ring and wedding band, that had been fused into a single ring. She told receptionist Kellie that she thought she'd lost the ring in one of five locations,including in the vicinity of the Brewer Hannaford parking lot. Tammy made up cards and gave them to the various businesses where she thought she might have dropped the ring, and even put an ad on Craigslist.

Enter Bill McDougal, who had noticed Tammy's ad on Craigslist. When the snow melted, he took his metal detector to the areas specified in the ad and found the ring in the Hannaford lot. By that time, the ad was gone from Craigslist, so he went to the Brewer Police Department and told Kellie what he'd found. She immediately remembered Tammy and notified her of the good news.

Great work, Bill! That's an incredible find!