KOLOA — A California family attending a reunion on Kauai had their hearts broken when a ring and cash were stolen from a vacation rental. “We went from the extreme high of God’s handiwork of Kauai, to an extreme low
KOLOA — A California family attending a reunion on Kauai had their hearts broken when a ring and cash were stolen from a vacation rental.
“We went from the extreme high of God’s handiwork of Kauai, to an extreme low with the taking of an engagement ring,” said Gary Rider, the victim’s father.
Rider and his spouse Teri have been coming to Kauai for nearly two decades to vacation and to visit family.
This past week the Orange County, couple brought their grown children with them to join 40 Rider relatives for the 80th birthday celebration of their matriarch.
They were happy to arrive at the privately owned vacation rental in the Poipu Beach Estates area.
Rider’s son David brought his fiancée and had a surprise proposal in the works. It was their sixth anniversary together and he planned to recreate the setting of their first date on a California Pier, with a knee bending sunset moment at Ahukini State Recreation Pier State Park.
The proposal was to occur on a Friday but the ring was stolen the day before.
The $8,700 ring is unique with a split shank on the side, with a center cushion cut 1.21 carat diamond. Fifty smaller diamonds line the 14 carat white gold band and make for 1.51 total diamond carrots.
The ring was in a cherry wood box with a G.A. Wilke jewelry store label on the inside. Rider’s son David kept the ring in his backpack with him at all times, except for a brief period on Thursday morning when he placed it in the back of a closet.
The Riders returned to find that someone had entered their rental and found the backpack and took the ring. They also took $600 in cash from a daughter’s room.
A screen showed signs of tampering, but it is just as likely the thief used a key, Gary said.
“This is a terrible feeling,” he added. “I am so irritated that I couldn’t do anything and felt so bad for my son.”
Rather than let the theft destroy the moment, David went to a Poipu store and bought a sterling silver band and the database programmer still proposed to his fiancée and she accepted.
“I was not going to let the person who stole the ring win,” he said. “The surprise was ruined but it worked out in the long run.”
The ring is replaceable but the settings and diamonds are unique. He chose that ring specifically for its rare cushioned cut and it won’t be the same.
“It was a downfall for the trip but all in all, I found my soul mate here and the thought of never coming back to Kauai never crossed my mind. I would never let something like this deter me from coming back to see family.”
Gary talked to neighbors and learned that other break-ins had occurred in the area and that a carpenter had recently lost his tools. He no longer felt safe in the rental but it would have been costly to transition to a hotel after spending so much on the house.
The area is well maintained but it is remote enough that security should be more of a concern, he said. The neighbors said they don’t want security cameras.
“This should change everything,” he said.
Rider said the Kauai Police Department responded to the call on Jan. 9 around 9 p.m., but information on the incident wasn’t available Friday.
If anyone has information about the theft the Rider family can be reached at (714) 844-2438.
• Tom LaVenture, staff writer, can be reached at 245-0424 or by emailing tlaventure@thegardenisland.com.
