we made the recovery Tag | The Ring Finders

Platinum Wedding Band Lost in Sunnyvale, CA…FOUND!!!

  • from Walnut Creek (California, United States)
Contact:

The Bay Area Ring Finders Brendon Chapman… Metal Detecting Service/Call ASAP     925-580-2590

   

I have been requested for a string of esoteric recoveries involving planning, special equipment, and unusual conditions as of lately.  This was NOT one of them!

The most difficult part of this recovery would be the hour commute to the site.  I was requested to search for a lost platinum men’s wedding band on a sand volleyball court in Sunnyvale, CA.  This recovery was completed before the client could even complete the search contract.  Everyone was extremely surprised and happy to have located the ring so quickly!  The couple had only been married 6 months and it was the second time the ring had been lost.  I jokingly told them to keep my number on speed dial!  We made the recovery!

To the family… Thank you for trusting me with your ring recovery!

The Bay Area Ring Finders Brendon Chapman… Metal Detecting Service/Call ASAP     925-580-2590

 

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Lost Wedding Band on Inverness, CA beach…Found with Metal Detector!!!

  • from Walnut Creek (California, United States)
Contact:

The Bay Area Ring Finders Brendon Chapman… Metal Detecting Service/Call ASAP     925-580-2590

The California summer heat is here and the lost item recovery business is booming!

On Monday July 1st, I received a multitude of requests for assistance.  One of these calls was from a couple in Inverness, CA who were enjoying time at Shell Beach on Tomales Bay.  Over the years, Tomales Bay has become a favorite destination for our family, but is over an hour and a half drive from our little town and 2 and a half hours from my office.  I informed the couple that I was onboard with assisting but would be contacting a few of the other members who might be more local for their availability.  In the end, I found no availability and knew I’d be making the drive.

The couple had lost the ring very early in the day and spent the rest of their day searching and exploring any avenues to recover the sentimental object.  A sign was posted at the entrance to the beach for the missing ring with contact information, they looked into metal detector groups, and even found a metal detector for rent and searched the area to no avail. Over the phone I tried to provide a short tutorial on how to use it.

Rather than make the long drive out late in the day, I scheduled to leave early the next afternoon to perform the search.  I asked my family if they would like to escape the triple digit heat and head to the beach with me.  They were all too happy to tag along and so we packed for the outing.

On arrival we hiked the short path down to Shell Beach. We had stopped for a picnic on this beach while kayak camping a few years earlier.  The beach was moderately crowded with mostly locals looking to escape the days heat.  And we weren’t there long when we met Jacob who explained the circumstances and defined the search area.  The metal detector attracted just about every child on the beach who hovered and followed as I grid the target area.  I handed out clad coins as they were plucked from the sand to those who kept back and helped clear obstacles.  It wasn’t more than 15 minutes when….WE MADE THE RECOVERY!!!

The interested children were the first to know, then my family and the surrounding adults who all clapped and came up to offer praise and ask questions.  Jason was the last to find out, but when I showed him the ring…his reaction was priceless!  It’s absolutely my favorite part of doing this!  Thank you Jacob for the opportunity to assist and to your very kind spouse for coordinating the event.  I wish you both nothing but the best in your future.  Be sure to tell the story of that ring far and wide!

 

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The Bay Area Ring Finders Brendon Chapman… Metal Detecting Service/Call ASAP     925-580-2590

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Buried Sewer Clean-out’s…Located By Metal Detector!

  • from Walnut Creek (California, United States)
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As a member of THE RING FINDERS community, I often get calls for missing items such as; men’s and woman’s rings, earrings, cell phones, and keys.  I even have gotten a number of requests for missing or locating property pins.  I also get to meet a great deal of interesting personalities while on these requests for assistance.  Ken’s story is a little bit different and takes place on a large plot of land.  A few years earlier, he had trenched and ran new sewer lines with a clean-out every 100 feet.  Before burying these lines he capped the clean-outs with a big brass fitting.  The thought was that these large brass caps would be simple to locate with a metal detector should the need arise.

Fast forward to May of this year, Ken purchased a metal detector and fabricated a probe to rediscover his clean-outs.  After several attempts at locating them and hundreds of probes pushed into the ground, I received a request for assistance.

Our First attempts found highly mineralized ground and a lot of debris around our target area.  Usually, I would move to a smaller coil, ground balance, and turn up the target separation on my equinox, however in this application we needed depth to locate what was thought to have been 16″ to 18″ down.  We searched for 2 hours in the hot days sun before concluding our search.  Ken and I had a lot of great conversation but both were disappointed in the result.  I left questioning if I had the depth required to even see our target.

I stewed about the issues we had faced for a couple of days and decided I needed another shot.  I utilized the money I received from our previous search to supplement the purchase of a new larger coil.  I turned my target separation down to 1 to achieve maximum depth and power and on Saturday I returned to the field.  Ken had located some older photos that proved we were indeed in the right area.  We gave it another shot and we found a target and probed…nothing!  Found a target and probed…nothing!  Our third and best target we probed…it was an area we had probed during the previous search…suddenly Ken hit something!  We both smiled, hopeful that the search was indeed over.  We both grabbed a shovel and began to dig and at just about 20″ in depth we located the first brass clean-out cap.  I think we were both equal part excited and equal part relieved.

Afterwards, we marked out 100′ up hill in the direction the sewer pipes traveled and began again.

Thank you Ken!  I enjoyed our conversations and the opportunity to work on a different project than those I typically perform.  I learned some valuable knowledge and procured new equipment to continue helping others.

The first clean-out located at 20″ of depth

15″ coil utilized to locate the target

Our field as seen from above

100′ uphill to the second location

The newly stubbed-up clean-out with marker!

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The Bay Area Ring Finders Brendon Chapman… Metal Detecting Service/Call ASAP     925-580-2590

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14K White Gold Ring Lost at Shadow Cliffs…Found in 3 feet of water!!!

  • from Walnut Creek (California, United States)
Contact:

The Bay Area Ring Finders Brendon Chapman… Metal Detecting Service/Call ASAP     925-580-2590

On Memorial Day I received a message from Madison requesting help.  While spending the day with family at Shadow Cliffs, a man-made lake in Pleasanton, CA, he lost his wedding ring in 3 to 4 feet of water.  Shadow Cliffs is part of the East Bay Regional Parks District, and they require a special permit for detecting.  I have always carried this permit, but it comes with some red tape.  Specifically, it does not allow for metal detectors to enter the water.  I informed Madison that I would request special permission from the park manager before we could schedule this search.  The park team was great and very accommodating!

With permission to enter the water and permit in-hand Madison and I met at the lake to perform the search.  It was a beautiful, warm day and we were both excited to get into the water and recover the ring.  He walked us out to chest deep water and stated that he thought that the ring was lost at this spot.  A 15 minute hasty search turned up a few dimes and no rings.  The best news was that there was not a lot of trash to contend with.  A grid was established working parallel to the shore line first in deeper water working towards the shallows.  I informed Madison that I believed that the ring would hit between 12 to 14 on my Equinox 800, but would investigate every signal to “clear it” from the grid.  With each target, I could see the anticipation in Madison, but he was a good sport each time we pulled up what was not his ring.

 

At one point after being in the water an hour or so, we questioned the position of the area and the depth of water.  We moved to more shallow water and it wasn’t to long before…WE MADE THE RECOVERY! It took three attempts to get the 14k white gold band into the scoop but I just knew that the 13-14 signal and perfect tone was our sought after prize.  When I noticed that Madison had not seen me recover the ring I moved closer and asked him to describe the ring again and if it had “looked like this!”  The instantaneous smile appeared that makes performing these recoveries so great and he said he could hug me, to which I leaned in for the embrace!

Once back on the sand beach I took some obligatory photos and we walked down to the lifeguards who had been interested in our activities.  The lifeguards had doubted the success of our venture and were excited for our victory. Then he and I stared out at the water for a bit and talked.  Madison was just the sort of guy I’d like to know.  He was patient, kind, and thoughtful and seemed like a great father.  Thank you Madison for trusting in me to assist you with your ring recovery.  I very much enjoyed your company and conversation while we took this journey!  Best Wishes!

 

 

The Bay Area Ring Finders Brendon Chapman… Metal Detecting Service/Call ASAP     925-580-2590

Now offering Metal Detecting, Video Endoscope, and Magnet Fishing services!

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Lost Subaru Key Fob… Recovered from Steep Slope in Oakland, CA

  • from Walnut Creek (California, United States)
Contact:

The Bay Area Ring Finders Brendon Chapman… Metal Detecting Service/Call ASAP     925-580-2590

It’s not too often I get calls about lost keys or key fobs, let alone from a 10 year old, but on Monday May 6th that all changed.  The young boy requested that I come look for a set of keys that found their way off of a deck and onto a slope covered with ivy, blackberry, and other organic debris.  Of course I asked if the young boy would be assisting me and that I had an extra metal detector that I’d be glad to share.  Excitedly, we scheduled the search the following afternoon after school had gotten out.

It took 30 minutes or so to make my way to Oakland, CA were the key fob made it’s way into the wilds.  Upon arrival, I met the family including mom, dad, and several siblings.  They showed me to the scene of the mishap and explained that while swinging a rope the boy accidentally struck the keys sending them into the void below.  A search ensued but produced no results.  My first thoughts were that I asked a young 10 year old boy to assist me and now was looking at a very steep and hazardous looking slope entangled in ivy and blackberry vines.  But after producing my back-up machine to the boy and a garret pin-pointer to another sibling, there was no turning back.

The four of us, myself, the two boys, and dad (who was assisting by removing thorny blackberry vines from the slope) started a hasty search of the steep hillside.  The boys were excited every time the metal detectors sounded off and they quickly set out to discover what had made the machine scream out.  The hillside was riddled with targets like bottle caps, pull tabs, aluminum cans, and a large number of other interesting items. After about 20 minutes of looking, dad said that he may have saw something on the slope while pulling out vines and the two boys rushed to confirm the presence of the object.  First the young boy with the metal detector confirmed something metallic, then the sibling with the pin-pointer narrowed the search.  Moments later, with a bit of careful probing, WE MADE THE RECOVERY!

After a short celebration our little crew, and now mom and other siblings, collected on flatter ground for a little exploration and metal detecting.  For another 30 minutes or so we located and dug a plethora of targets, mostly do-dads and trash, but everyone was having a fun and educational experience.  Overall, the search for the wayward key fob and mini-hunt that followed was hugely successful.  Thank you kindly for allowing me to provide this service, I always love to get those willing and able involved into the search and having an interactive experience.

This was our target today!

A substitute picture of myself for the book of smiles!

The Bay Area Ring Finders Brendon Chapman… Metal Detecting Service/Call ASAP     925-580-2590

Now offering Metal Detecting, Video Endoscope, and Magnet Fishing services!

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Lost 14K Diamond Wedding Band…Found at Baker Beach!!!

  • from Walnut Creek (California, United States)
Contact:

The Bay Area Ring Finders Brendon Chapman… Metal Detecting Service/Call ASAP     925-580-2590

Luis and I walked down the beach and into the tidal zone.  He stuck a stick in the sand and said, “I was standing right here.  I threw the football in that direction and felt the ring come off.  I saw it in my peripheral vision for a brief moment, then it was gone!” And so the search was on!

Three days earlier the event took place and he had made a number of attempts to find his 14K white gold ring with inset diamonds.  He even posted a Lost and Found ad on Craigslist to seek out help.  It was at this time I got involved by sending him a link to THERINGFINDERS.COM site and offering up assistance. Up until then, the only correspondence had been through an email and a few short text messages.  He later admitted to being a bit skeptical that the ring could be recovered.  I, however, was packed and ready for the hour long trip to the coast knowing that the next day a storm would hit the area decreasing the chances of a positive outcome.  Having a meeting for work and little confidence that the ring could be located, Luis text me to call off the search effort.  I text him back.  “Don’t give up just yet…unless someone else found it, it is still there!”

Those words changed the course of the search and breathed new energy into Luis.  We spoke for a few minutes on the phone and we were back on track to meet up an hour later that evening.

We set up a grid of the area just in front of the placed stick.  I worked East-West from the shore to the water first.  I armed Luis with a pin-pointer and he meticulously scanned the area directly in front of the stick. I had completed the grid and decided to turn and work North-South while also expanding the grid.  I was less than 12 feet to the right of the stick Luis had placed.  This was the area that the ring should have been, but had not been discovered on the East-West grid.  I got a perfect signal about 6 to 8 inches down.  A perfect 10 VDI for the Nox 800 in Beach 1.  Moments later Luis and I were giving each other a high-five…  We had MADE THE RECOVERY!

It was almost sunset, the wind was picking up and the temperature was dropping.  The moments after the recovery were exciting and it was beautiful at the beach.  We talked and celebrated a bit before returning to the car to head home.

Luis had done a number of things that contributed to a successful recovery.  When the ring came off, he didn’t immediately panic.  He and his friend took notice of their surroundings and Luis, after 3 days, was able to put me less than 12 feet from the ring despite an enormous beach. The other thing that was critical was to seek help.  Luis has stated several times that the right equipment in the right hands was the recipe for success.  Thank you Luis for trusting in me and my process.  It was great to meet you and I wish you the very best in the future!

Luis moments after the recovery!

The ring back in it’s correct place.

The custom 14K white gold band with inset diamonds

A beautiful setting for the recovery!

Working the Grid in front of the placed stick!

A happy couple with both their custom matching rings!

The Bay Area Ring Finders Brendon Chapman… Metal Detecting Service/Call ASAP     925-580-2590

Now offering Metal Detecting, Video Endoscope, and Magnet Fishing services!

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Set of Keys Lost in Oakland Hills…Found

  • from Walnut Creek (California, United States)
Contact:

Bay Area Ring Finders Brendon Chapman… Metal Detecting Service/Call ASAP     925-580-2590

Now offering Metal Detecting, Video Endoscope, and Magnet Fishing services!

Harry had lost an important set of keys on a hillside covered in ivy directly below the stair to his beautiful Montclair Hills home.  He and his wife searched the area and even removed much of the ivy in the location.  The keys were seemingly gone!  The couple found my information from the TRF website and had sent a request for help at 11am on the 9th of March.  We would schedule the search for once Harry returned home from work around 5pm, and I would maneuver to that side of the hills early to successfully perform a search for a lost ring near by.

My boys and I would meet Harry and his wife at their home and get a quick run down of how and where the keys went missing.  An initial hasty search of the small hillside only revealed some conduit pipes and very little else.  We then moved to search the “green waste” bin where much of the stripped away ivy went.  This proved unsuccessful also.  Next, I began to search with my pin-pointer around a metal post that did not allow the metal detector to get close.  It was at that time I discovered the set of keys nestled under debris close to the post…We had made the recovery!!!

Thank you Harry for contacting me, trusting me with the search, and your generosity!  I’m very happy to have been able to return your set of keys in a timely manner.

Harry, the hillside, and the returned keys!

Bay Area Ring Finders Brendon Chapman… Metal Detecting Service/Call ASAP     925-580-2590

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Platinum Ring Lost a Second Time in Berkeley, CA…Found Again!

  • from Walnut Creek (California, United States)
Contact:

Bay Area Ring Finders: Brendon Chapman… Metal Detecting Service/Call ASAP     925-580-2590 

In August of 2023 I assisted Fred in finding his Platinum Ring.  The ring fits loosely and had fallen off while he performed yard work.  On Saturday, February the 9th I received my second request for help for the day.  It was Fred with a simple text message that read, “Hello, it’s Fred in Berkeley again. I lost my ring again in the yard.  Small Area”.  I had been scheduling a search for another individual who coincidentally lived only minutes down the road from Fred.  I responded to Fred that I could be under way in minutes and I quickly loaded up for a double-header. My two boys asked if they could help and so we loaded their machines in too!

We arrived at Fred’s home armed with the knowledge I had documented from the first trip to search for the ring.  I knew the location, the landscaping, the materials the ring was made up of and the VDI information for my machine.  After a quick overview of how and where the ring was lost, my boys and I got to work.  It wouldn’t be 2 minutes before my middle son got a hit and my oldest boy pinpointed the ring.  I quickly confirmed the find and performed some quick photo documentation.

Fred was not in the least bit surprised we were able to…Make the Recovery!!!!  Thank you again Fred for trusting me to be your Lost Item Specialist!

Fred with his ring

The Platinum Ring

The Ring once the debris was cleared.

Bay Area Ring Finders Brendon Chapman… Metal Detecting Service/Call ASAP     925-580-2590

Now offering Metal Detecting, Video Endoscope, and Magnet Fishing services!

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Diamond Engagement/Wedding Ring lost in lake…Recovered in Foster City, CA!!!

  • from Walnut Creek (California, United States)
Contact:

Bay Area Ring Finders: Brendon Chapman… Metal Detecting Service/Call ASAP     925-580-2590

Saedah was in an obvious panic when she lost her diamond engagement/wedding ring off the deck and into the lake at a Bay Area restaurant!  She admitted to locating THERINGFINDERS.COM website and proceeding to contact just about every member in the Bay Area for help.  Once word got to me, the idea of performing only my 2nd request for a water recovery this year was appealing.  It was late in the evening and I wouldn’t be available until mid-day the following afternoon, but I agreed to sign on to the task.

The details as to where the ring fell into the lake were really good, however the depth was left a bit ambiguous.  Not knowing this piece of the puzzle, I packed an enormous amount of equipment for the recovery.  When I showed up to the location I used a tape measure to check the depth of the water near the site Saedah noted the ring was lost.  It was just under 5 feet in depth but dropped off steep.  I decided to make an attempt without a ton of gear and took just a scoop and the Equinox 800.  I located a CLOSED for CONSTRUCTION boat dock to access the water from and slid into the water.  Making it half the distance to the location of the missing diamond ring, I turned back to grab a mask and snorkel.

Once in the location underneath where Saedah and friends were sitting prior to the loss of the ring, it took only seconds to recover it.  We had MADE THE RECOVERY!!!

As I emerged from the lake with my gear and the missing ring, patrons of the restaurant clapped and congratulated me.  The manager stated that a lot of phones, rings, eating utensils and other things often end up in the lake along the deck, but this was the first time he had heard of anything being recovered.  I sent Saedah a picture of the ring and then called… she was overjoyed that the ring was found and safe and set out to meet me at the location.  This was an excellent way to start the weekend!

I wanted to thank Saedah for trusting me with the recovery of her meaningful and precious ring.  And also to all of the other Ring Finders who helped point her in my direction!  I consider this a win for all of us, Thank you!

The boat dock from which I entered the water and the deck the missing ring was lost off of.

Freshly recovered from the lake!

The recovered ring!

The Diamond Engagement/Wedding ring!

Saedah with her ring back where it belonged.

Bay Area Ring Finders: Brendon Chapman… Metal Detecting Service/Call ASAP     925-580-2590

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Beautiful Gold Ring with Diamonds Lost at Baker Beach…FOUND!!!

  • from Walnut Creek (California, United States)
Contact:

Bay Area Ring Finders: Brendon Chapman… Metal Detecting Service/Call ASAP     925-580-2590 

Mishkin admitted to me at the end of this story that she doubted that we would find and recover her ring lost the previous evening at Baker Beach in California.  I’m excited to share this story for a number of reasons. First, for it’s success as always. Second, because it’s kind of a beautiful tale. Lastly…this marked my 25 ring recovery!  This was a milestone that I had set for myself earlier this year, one that at the time seemed far off and yet feels amazing to achieve.  I’m a year and 6 months into my membership with THERINGFINDERS.COM team and I have really enjoyed my experiences helping people like Mishkin…Let’s get back to her story…

It starts with a sunset marriage proposal on Baker Beach in the shadows of the iconic Golden Gate Bridge.  It’s a very high point in the story. However the story takes a tragic turn when a ring Mishkin is wearing on her hand is removed to make way for a new engagement ring. It somehow falls, and in an instant is swallowed up by the sandy beach.  The excitement of the proposal now is stained by the loss of another cherished ring.  The couple attempts to locate the ring but is forced to leave it behind.

The next morning, while sailing the high seas on a pirate ship in an exciting game of make-believe with my boys, Mishkin contacted me to ask for help.  The request was made to meet the couple back at Baker Beach at 5pm.  Our pretend treasure hunt and “Privateering” venture would materialize into something real later that evening.  There was no way I was going out on this call without my crew!

We met Mishkin at 5pm in the parking lot and made our decent down to the beach.  In the midst of leftover rose pedals and flowers from the prior evening, the couple assisted me in setting out some cones to establish some initial boundaries for the search zone.  I began working a grid pattern while the couple, working together, reestablished some of their previously set boundaries. I stopped and asked if they thought that the new area was a more likely location, to which they answered “yes”.  And indeed they were right, on my second line in the new grid…WE MADE THE RECOVERY!!!

The couple was in disbelief when I walked up to ask if this was what they were looking for with the ring in hand. Disbelief turned to excitement! That is when Miskin admitted that she had doubted the success of the search and had explained that later that night she would be on a plane back to the East Coast. I had no idea how dire the situation must have felt to her until that point.  I, on the other hand, was full of confidence and anticipation knowing that this would mark my 25th ring recovery and I would be accomplishing a goal set earlier in the year almost 3 months early.

As always, thank you Mishkin for allowing me to take part in this beautiful story.  I wish you both a very happy future!

The missing ring.

The happy couple.

Obligatory detector shot.

Bay Area Ring Finders: Brendon Chapman… Metal Detecting Service/Call ASAP     925-580-2590 

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