Lance Alworth's stolen Super Bowl ring finally found

Colin Atagi | The Desert Sun

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — Three Palm Springs residents are accused of trying to sell a 1971 Super Bowl ring that was recovered this month roughly 25 years after it was stolen.

The ring, which belonged to former San Diego Charger and Pro Football Hall of Famer Lance Alworth, was stolen in 1988 and ended up in the hands of a Palm Springs couple in August 2001, Detective Jaime Rodriguez of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department told The Desert Sun on Tuesday.

"It's a miracle to have it back after all these years," Alworth said.

Authorities are seeking charges of misappropriation of stolen property against the couple and another associate.

"I don't think any of those three are actually the one who committed the burglary," Rodriguez said.

The ring, which Alworth won as a member of the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl VI, was taken along with other sports memorabilia in 1988 from Trophy's Restaurant, a San Diego bar owned by Alworth's friend.

Rodriguez would not release the names of anyone involved, but did say the couple own the boutique Marianne of Palm Springs at 236 N. Palm Canyon Drive.

"We were told it was lost in a poker game," said the woman working behind the counter, who wouldn't give her name. "Then we found out it was stolen from some shop or bar."

Walking space was scarce among racks lined with patterned hats and mannequins adorned with colorful scarves.

The ring was recovered at an auction house in Laguna Nigel, where it was scheduled for auction Nov. 20 with an opening bid of $44,000.

"They definitely would've gotten $44,000 for it, maybe more," Rodriguez said. "I think the sky's the limit."

Authorities think the ring was originally stolen by a now-dead Anaheim man who gave it to the Palm Springs couple as collateral on a loan, Rodriguez said.

"The ring disappeared. No one knew anything about it until Lance received a telephone call (on Sept. 7)," Rodriguez said.

The couple had fallen on hard times and a 42-year-old woman who worked for them tried to raise money by selling their property, including the ring, Rodriguez said.

She found Alworth's phone number and asked if he was interested in buying it back from the couple. When Alworth told the woman the ring had been stolen, she demanded $40,000 for its return, Rodriguez said.

"Lance wasn't going to pay that, so he came to the sheriff's department," Rodriguez said.

But during the investigation, the detective said, Alworth accidentally sent the woman a text message meant for Rodriguez and she surmised law enforcement officials were now involved.

"She backed out of the deal," he said.

Authorities approached her at a home on Ramon Road on Oct. 24, and she told them the couple had the ring.

The couple, a 68-year-old man and a 52-year-old woman, were approached at their home on Farrell Drive. They told investigators they had put the ring up for auction, Rodriguez said.

The wife was arrested on suspicion of possessing methamphetamine.

Colin Atagi also writes for The (Palm Springs, Calif.) Desert Sun