Engagement ring stolen from young family in Mayfair

The day one person proposes marriage to another is supposed to be one of the happiest days of life. But, for one man, the promise of a surprise and a yes answer is gone, along with the ring he was going to give his girlfriend. He was keeping the ring at his parents’ for safety, not knowing crooks would target the home and get away with the ring.

“We saved for our future. That was our future in that box,” stated John Cunningham, Jr.

That box containing that engagement ring wasn’t the only valuable in a safe stolen when burglars broke into John Cunningham Jr.’s parents’ Mayfair home a few days ago.

John Cunningham Jr.

John and his soon-to-be fiancé had been socking away, little by little, for years, thousands of dollars toward a home they could own and live in with their two children.

“Most of the money I’d been saving was in that sage and, when they mentioned the safe was gone, I was devastated, to be honest,” explained Cunningham.

“They took the whole entire thing,” said Charlene Cunningham.

Charlene says she was not aware the family treasures inside, as she showed FOX 29 the now boarded-up window that someone used to get inside. The burglars ransacked and looted the house over an hour, leaving only when their young son came home from school.

“They literally climbed on top of the awning, took out slots of glass, pushed the screen and climbed in,” Charlene explained.

The family dog, Chewy, was missing, too.

“That’s the crazy part. They literally walked out of my house with my dog,” stated John Cunningham, Sr.

The Cunningham’s say neighbors gave them security videos showing what appears to be a man walking down the street with their dog. Chewy was found, later, and there’s video they say shows a stranger walking through their backyard toward the house.

“I just don’t think it’s something that should have been done,” Cunningham, Jr. said and then grew emotional as he went on, “It sucks because I could barely afford the ring as it is and now I’m paying for a ring that I don’t even have.”

Cunningham ring stolen

Still John Jr. said no dollar amount can be placed on what they’ve been robbed of. Surprising the woman he hopes to become his bride with a ring selected by their precious one-year-old daughter.

“Just that moment was worth more to me than the money. I had it planned out. I’d been saving for that ring and I wanted to do it on a certain day and that was next month and I can’t even do it now,” he exclaimed.