Authorities in Livingston Parish are trying to find a valuable collection of LSU championship jewelry. 

Sheriff's officials say on November 30, sometime between 5:15 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., someone broke into a home located south of Denham Springs, and stole a collection that included 24 individual LSU and SEC Championship rings.  Perry Rushing, the sheriff's Chief of Operations, says the owner would really like to get the collection back.

"That victim had asked that we do everything we could prior to releasing it to the public to try and make and arrest," Rushing said.  "We have not been able to make any arrests and we don't know where the jewelry is, so now we are soliciting help from the public."

Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office Chief of Operations Perry Rushing:


Rushing says the jewelry isn't the easiest thing for a thief to fence.

"The key thing would be the engraving of the name of the owner, 'Wagner,'" said Rushing.  "That is supposed to be engraved on every ring on the inside, and then embossed on the outside of the rings, on one side or the other of the emblem."

Rushing says they don't think the criminal was targeting this collection -- it was just probably a random burglary.

"My inclination is that this person just had no clue what they were breaking into when they found these rings.  I think they figured they probably hit the jackpot, so to speak."  "We don't know for sure, but I feel like that they did not necessarily know who lived at this home."

Rushing said the collection is worth about $50,000, but it means more to the rightful owner.

"He is not just a collector," Rushing said. "The value is not just monetary.  It's sentimental, also."

Anyone with information concerning this crime or the location of the rings is urged to contact the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office at (800) 443-7681 or Baton Rouge Crimestoppers at (225) 344-7867.

(photo courtesy LPSO)