Kamloops rugby players scrum together in pursuit of stolen engagement ring

Rodominski said she went grocery shopping after working out last Tuesday. Upon return to her apartment, she carried the groceries inside and forgot to bring in her gym bag, an uncharacteristic oversight. While working out, she keeps the ring concealed in a hidden area in her gym bag, which she went to fetch at about 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday after spending the day working from home.

“My car was trashed,” Rodominski said. “Just immediate panic. I’ve always been really careful about that and hadn’t even realized I’d left it in the car.”

Most of the contents of the bag were discarded by a nearby dumpster but the ring was gone, said Rodominski, who immediately filed a police report and set course for pawn shops to provide the file number and photos of the ring.

On her way, while driving through the intersection of Columbia Street and Summit Drive, she was shocked to make a discovery.

“I noticed there was a homeless man with a sign up looking for change and he had my backpack on the ground next to him,” Rodominski said. “I pulled up in a parking lot where I could see him and called the police back and asked them if they could come help me get my backpack. They said they would add it to my report. I was like, ‘No, can you send someone up right now? There is something of great value to me in that bag and I’d lke to get it back as soon as possible.’ They said they would see what they can do. I waited for a little while and I didn’t really have great faith that they were going to send someone — and I hadn’t seen anyone.”

Aliyah Rodominski (centre) in action for Kamloops Rugby Club (Image Credit: Contributed / Allen Douglas Photos)

Rodominski contacted Watts, a Kamloops resident from Australia. Her fiancee was out of country, back down under for a visit, but he sent a message to the Raiders’ group chat and within a few minutes three men’s team players — Elliott Overhoff, Rorik Munson and Joe Castellano — were dispatched to the intersection.

In the meantime, the man who was holding the sign in the median of the intersection had moved to a nearby bench, according to Rodominski.

“He had kind of passed out on the bench with his belongings and my bag,” Rodominski said. “Three other guys approached this guy on the bench. I thought they were trying to wake him up, but they were actually jumping him. I watched them take everything out of his pockets and take all the stuff he had on him.”

The Raiders arrived in time to confront the three apparent muggers, keeping their distance while offering instruction.

“No scuffles, nothing of that nature,” said Overhoff, one of the players who responded to the request for help. “Just a quick, firm, ‘Hey, drop the bag!’ Of course, no intention to get anyone hurt, ourselves or them included.”

They dropped the bag and Rodominski searched it while her three clubmates spoke to the man on the bench.

“He was like, ‘I don’t have [the ring] anymore. It was on my finger and those guys took it,'” Overhoff said. “We turned back and looked around for those guys and, unfortunately, the three of them had disappeared into the bushes or potentially even gotten onto a bus and left. We spent the next hour or two doing a search.

“I try not to get too deeply involved in the state of affairs in our lovely community here, but it was certainly shocking to hear as we were driving up that another incident was happening right in broad daylight in the middle of one of the busiest intersections in town.”

Rodominski has kept police in the loop and been to pawn shops and shelters offering descriptions of the ring (including a serial number) and the apparent thieves.

“It’s unfortunate that piece of jewelry that has a lot of significance in their relationship is not with them any more,” said Overhoff, who plans to attend the Rodominski-Watts hitching next year in Australia.

“It’s just a huge bummer. They’re a great couple. We love them to death here at the club. It’s just a real shame to see her so broken up about it.”

Rodominski posted in the KRC Facebook group, thanking her clubmates for their response.

“The club motto is, ‘One in, all in,’ so I feel like Elliott and the boys coming out to help immediately really embodies that,” Rodominski said. “That meant so much to me.”

Rodominski noted lost wallets and phones have been returned to her in the past and she remains hopeful the ring will make its way back onto her finger.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Kamloops RCMP (report No. 24-6686) or email Rodominski at aliyarodominski@yahoo.ca.

“It’s one of the most valuable things I’ve ever owned, so I was just kind of devastated when I realized it had been stolen,” Rodominski said. “I’m still optimistic. I guess I like to give the benefit of the doubt.”

RAIDERS IN ACTION

Both the men’s and women’s Raiders’ teams will play host to B.C. Rugby Union matches on Saturday (March 16) at Exhibition Park.

Find the club’s Facebook page for match times.

by Marty Hastings

Kamloops rugby players scrum together in pursuit of stolen engagement ring

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