Police working to return stolen item to rightful owner
Lawrence police are in the process of returning dozens of items stolen during a string of recent burglaries and drug busts, but one item in particular has caught their eye and now they're trying to track down its rightful owner.
The gold watch was recovered from a suspect during the course of a drug investigation. Detectives were able to tie the item to a local burglary, but despite some thorough searching they were unable to track down the owner of the watch.
"We've hand searched reports for months to see if we can find this particular item," said Sgt. Trent McKinley, police spokesman. "We have not found it and we've put some inquiries out to some other agencies but that's really very difficult."
After doing some research, detectives determined the watch is likely an antique manufactured prior to the 1950s.
"Its kind of a unique box, it does appear to be older," McKinley said. "Just in the fashion that it's stored and cared for, we think it's something that's a family heirloom or something along those lines."
McKinley said the watch bears some unique markings. Inside the box is a thin piece of ribbon with the words, "The world's most honored watch."
Detectives cannot determine if the watch was stolen in Douglas County, though the suspect accused of stealing it has been linked to only local burglaries.
McKinley hopes to return the watch to the person it belongs too, but he said antiques present a difficult challenge for detectives.
"Things like coins and collectibles are a little bit more difficult to track, especially if someone has not uniquely identified that item as being stolen," he said. "It all depends on how the person reported it stolen, did they just call it a watch or were they far more specific about it being an antique watch with a gold band in an original type box."
If you have any information about the watch or it's owner, you're asked to call police at 830-7430.