Remarkable Return of Stolen NYPD Retirement Ring

Detective Terrence Mulligan, now a retired police officer, had long since lost hope of recovering his father’s gold NYPD retirement ring. This cherished item was stolen from his Staten Island home over 40 years ago.

Remarkably, the ring—known as the “Shield Ring” and engraved with his father’s badge number—found its way back to him last week. This unexpected reunion was made possible by a stranger in Boston, a detective’s initiative, and a bit of luck.

Typically, retirement rings displaying “Detective” and “NYPD” can fetch between $2,000 to $2,500, but hold far more sentimental value for families tied to the police force.

Mulligan, now 53, was just a child of eight when his late father, Detective Joe Mulligan, had his ring taken. After the theft, Terrence and his siblings presented their father with a replacement ring for $1,500 back in 2010, just seven years before Joe’s passing. It’s hard to believe I might actually see the original again, he thought.

It all changed last year when a kindhearted stranger found the ring on a Boston street.

Leona Mizer discovered the ring while running errands in the summer of 2024. Her husband, Kelly Mizer, recalled, “She went to the grocery store, and just happened to find this gold ring.” He remarked, wishing there was a way to return it. What to do, though?

Instead of going through the trouble of tracking down the owner, Kelly simply placed the ring in a drawer and moved on with life.

As time passed, the Misers didn’t think much of it—until they relocated to Maine with their kids.

“While unpacking, we stumbled upon the ring again,” Kelly shared. Suddenly, the thought struck him: this might be a police badge number.

He searched online for the NYPD and badge number 1741, which led him to Detective James Zozzaro. After a bit of detective work, he managed to connect with Zozzaro.

“Initially, I thought it was a prank,” Kelly said, adding that he sent a photo of the ring to confirm.

Each NYPD shield number is assigned to a new officer as a detective retires, so Zozzaro started the process of uncovering the ring’s rightful owner.

Investigating the history of shield number 1741, he discovered Joe Mulligan had a daughter who once lived in Boston.

“He got my sister’s cell number because she had that Boston address. His assumption was maybe she lost the ring,” Terrence narrated.

However, his sister was skeptical. “She thought it was some kind of scam,” Terrence chuckled. “I mean, she wouldn’t give out any information.”

So, she suggested that Terrence reach out to the detectives instead.

“James was really nice,” said Terrence. “He told me this wild story.”

Finally, Terrence and his wife drove from Sparta, New Jersey, to retrieve the cherished ring on November 13, thrilled to have this family heirloom back.

They had planned to present the ring to their mother for her upcoming 89th birthday, but the excitement was too great to wait.

“It’s just wild,” Mulligan said. “Someone could have easily overlooked it. But all the good people out there, they connected with James. He deserves all the credit.”

“My family is still in shock. We’re so grateful. It’s unbelievable,” he added.

Yet one question lingers. “We’re all curious how a ring ended up on the street in Boston from New York,” Kelly wondered.

The police union acknowledged the detective’s efforts. “This shows the integrity and kindness of NYPD detectives,” remarked Scott Munro, president of the Detective Fund Association. “A detective took the time to return a treasured heirloom that had been lost for decades, not for recognition, but simply because it was the right thing to do.”