7 On Your Side: Woman hopes to reunite special ring with owner

SONOMA COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) -- A Sonoma County woman who found a diamond ring in Berkeley is making one last ditch attempt to find its owner. As 7 On Your Side found out, this isn't just any ring... it has serious sentimental value for someone.

You might recall the story of Katie Evenbeck. She bought a secondhand purse at Buffalo Exchange in Berkeley last December. She lost her keys, but later found them inside a hole in the lining of her purse. Along with the keys she found a box top, movie stub, a note on a napkin and a diamond ring.

"It's been a really fun thing to have happen in my life," Evenbeck said.

We first brought you Evenbeck's story in June and asked you to call the Berkeley Police Department if you thought the ring might be yours. Police tell us they received well over a dozen calls.

"Some people lost their ring as much as 30 years ago and they were hoping that this was the one," Berkeley police Lt. Ed Spiller said.

Unfortunately, the ring didn't belong to any of them. So on this day, Evenbeck is turning the ring over to Berkeley police. It's been appraised for a $1,000, but she would never think of keeping it for herself.

"Everyone could use a $1,000, but this is worth way... the story has just been so fun," Evenbeck said.

Police will return the ring to Evenbeck if the rightful owner isn't found by February. She plans to donate the ring to St. Dorothy's Camp. It's a camp she runs to give seriously ill children time away from their worries.

"It's one of those opportunities where I can use this treasure and give it to something good," Evenbeck said.

She admits she's turning over the ring with some sadness. The ring actually fits her perfectly. Lt Spiller says an ad will be put in the paper if the owner doesn't come forward by the end of January.

Anyone who claims the ring must first be able to describe it. That's why we're not showing it on camera.

Evenbeck plans to raffle or auction off the ring for St. Dorothy's Children's Camp if the owner can't be found. Lt Spiller says that could happen around Valentine's Day.

Anyone who thinks the ring might be theirs should contact Lt. Spiller by emailing him at spiller@ci.berkeley.ca.us