A pawn shop owner recognized the ring from flyers put out by the victim and returned it
Credit: Delaware State Police
NEED TO KNOW
- A Delaware car wash employee is accused of stealing an engagement ring left inside a customer’s vehicle
- The ring was recovered when the suspect attempted to pawn it, and the shop owner recognized it from a flyer provided by the victim
- Jose Gonzales-Morales, 24, was arrested and charged with two felonies
A car wash employee in Delaware is accused of stealing an engagement ring from a customer's vehicle and attempting to pawn it.
Following an investigation into the stolen ring, the Delaware State Police (DSP) arrested and charged 24-year-old Jose Gonzales-Morales of Wilmington, according to a news release issued by the department on Monday, March 2.
On Feb. 15, DSP troopers responded to the Magic Car Wash at 3221 Naamans Road in Wilmington for a theft complaint, per the release. They learned that after a customer had their car washed, their engagement ring was missing from inside the car, where they had "mistakenly left it."
Credit: Getty
At the time, troopers spoke with several car wash employees, including Gonzales-Morales, but the ring could not be covered.
Troopers later learned that the victim had provided local pawn shops with a flyer featuring a picture of the missing ring.
"That effort proved to be successful," the DSP said. "On Feb. 23, 2026, Gonzales-Morales responded to a Wilmington-area pawn shop where he attempted to pawn the ring."
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Credit: Delaware State Police
The pawn shop owner recognized the ring from the flyer, recovered it and returned it to the victim.
Gonzales-Morales was arrested "without incident" on Feb. 28 and taken to Troop 1, where he was charged with two felonies: theft of $1,500 or greater and making a false statement to law enforcement.
He was arraigned by the Justice of the Peace Court 11 and released on a $2,500 unsecured bond, per the DSP.
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