'That’s my mom’: Necklace with mother’s ashes, engagement ring stolen during smash-and grab

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WMBF) - A Grand Strand woman is hoping for a miracle after a necklace with her mother’s ashes and two rings belonging to her late mother were stolen.

A police report from Horry County Police Department said around 6:30 p.m. Monday, several cars had their windows busted out in the Sweat Cycle parking lot off Highway 501.

One of the vehicles belonged to Tori Wentzky. She said she walked out of her workout class and noticed the side windows of the car had been busted out and immediately ran to her car to look for her purse.

Wentzky said she had been running late that day and took off her engagement ring, her mother’s 25th-anniversary ring and a necklace filled with her mother’s ashes and placed them in her purse. She then hid the purse in the car and locked it before entering the Sweat Cycle building.

“I came out with the whole group of people and I was talking to my friend who was with me and I looked at her car and I was like, “Your car’s been broken into.” Then I saw mine and my window was shattered as well on my driver’s side and I instantly was like my purse was gone which had my jewelry in it,” Wentzky said.

Now, Horry County police are investigating and are hoping to find the few pieces that Wentzky was hanging on to from her mother.

Wentzky told WMBF News that she hasn’t had the easiest of years after losing her mother, almost losing her father and then losing her dog the day before she got engaged. So when her fiance got down on his knee and pulled out a ring that her father had given to her mother more than 27 years prior, it truly was a moment she never could have imagined.

Along with the engagement ring, a necklace that was filed with her mother’s ashes and her mother’s 25th anniversary ring given to her mother by her father was also taken.

“And it’s not about the value of it, it’s about what it represents. And to think someone could be out there wearing my mother’s ashes around their neck and have no idea. Or someone could be out there, that’s my mom, and you have that around your neck and the rings on your finger represent the love that my parents had,” Wentzky said.

And these items weren’t just sentimental to Wentzky.

“Every time I see that necklace on her, I know that my aunt is with us too,” said Christina Watts, Wentzkys’ cousin.

Her family hopes that whoever broke into the cars will see this and hear their message.

“Do the right thing. You know they made a choice, they didn’t know who I was. But they can also choose, if they hear this, they can choose to make the right choices and can choose to make it right and just give it back,” said Wentzky.

Here’s how you can help: If you were in the area Monday night, either driving down Highway 501 or at Dunkin’ Donuts and saw anything suspicious, call the Horry County Police Department. And if you see either of the rings or the necklace posted for sale online or at a pawn shop, let the police know immediately.

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