Woman charged after $30k engagement ring theft

It's believed the ring was stolen from the three-bedroom Hinemoa St property when it was opened to the public prior to the Harcourts-run auction on October 18. Photo / File

A woman has been charged with theft after a $29,950 engagement ring was stolen during an open home in the Auckland suburb of Birkenhead.

It's believed the ring was stolen from the three-bedroom Hinemoa St property when it was opened to the public prior to the Harcourts-run auction on October 18.

According to police the ring was recovered not long after and returned to its rightful owner, Melissa Copestake, after the suspected thief took it into the same valuer the owner had gone to earlier that day.

Mrs Copestake, who'd bought the 1923 bungalow three years ago with her husband, Chester Young, reported the theft to police and her insurance company. To fulfil insurance requirements she took it to a local valuer to get a registered valuation.

Later that day a woman took the ring into the same valuer, who recognised it and notified police.

A police spokeswoman said a search warrant was executed at the suspected offender's address where the ring was located and later returned to its owner.

A woman, 53, has been charged with theft and has appeared in the North Shore District Court. She will reappear early next year.

The maximum sentence if found guilty of theft is seven years in prison.

Harcourts agent Jordan Selwyn was responsible for the sale of the fully fenced property that sits back off the street. When contacted tonight he referred all comment to the company's head office. However Harcourts chief executive Hayden Duncan would not provide a statement tonight.