Robert Downie, Author at The Ring Finders

I received a text from a young man and by the context I knew he was a bit frantic.  He informed me that his one-week old cellphone fell as he looked down from a bridge over a creek.  Despite his efforts, he decided to check our website and contacted me.  I arranged to meet him at the location that same day.

Fortunately, the deepest part of the creek was only 3 feet.  I thought it would not take long to recover the phone but after using an underwater detector and a pointer for 1.5 hours I elected to bring out another detector.

I was using a scoop to check targets.  As each scoop was brought to the surface, and there were many, I could see the concern in the expression of the owner.  Finally, I noticed a number of targets.  Some, I knew were iron, but among them there was one that I felt was promising.  I told the owner that I would not move until that one item no longer appeared on my detector.  With one final scoop, there was the phone.

I wish I could have recorded the look on his face as I handed him the phone.  He was very excited to say the least.

He knew how to handle a phone that had been submerged.  Eight hours later he texted me from that very phone and stated, “It works!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

I received a frantic communication from a young lady that a ring had been lost and could I attempt to locate it.  Upon inquiry I found that it was either in a pasture lot, surrounded by a 4 strand electric fence, or outside the fence in a wooded area.

Upon arrival  I found that she had to crawl under the fence so that the ring might be on either side or that it had fallen out of a pocket while in the pasture.  I checked the wooded area very thoroughly without success.  I then crawled under the fence where luckily only strand 1 and 3 were active (I managed to get shocked anyway!).

After a few hours I got the signal I had been looking for and recovered the ring.  Upon handing it over, she was extremely happy as she thought it would not be located.  She and her future husband were so happy they have invited me back to just visit and/or to check other areas of the property for whatever might be buried.

 

I was contacted in late August of 2025, via the website, to see if I could locate it. On the first day I could only be on site for two hours due to the temperature in the 90’s without any shade. When I returned, determined to spend all day or days if necessary, the weather was much more cooperative.

Continuing where I left off, I located the ring in 45 minutes. It was in excellent condition with no evidence of being touched by mower blades. I was very concerned about the ring because the property is maintained with a zero turn mower. Had that mower picked it up, I was afraid of what condition it would be in. Fortunately, the grass had a root structure that was extremely strong. The ring was trapped in those roots, above dirt level, and the mower never touched it. I was totally relieved as was the young lady who has it once again.

 

I received a call regarding a lost wedding ring that occurred while playing volleyball. The problem was that the volleyball court was mobile, encompassing the area of nearly a football field. Worse, I was directed to where it was thought they had been playing. It was not in that area but it was found!

 

The owner was very happy as seen in the photo.