Woman caught on camera taking veteran's jewelry

DEER PARK, TX (KTRK) -- A Deer Park Army Veteran is hoping someone recognizes the woman who apparently walked off with his watch and two rings this weekend from a neighborhood convenience store.

He took the jewelry off while making pizza at his job Saturday night and put them in his pocket. On his way home, he stopped to get some iced tea at the store near Center Street and San Augustine. As he was reaching for change, he removed the rings and watch from his pocket, he says, placing them on the counter by the cashier.

Not realizing, he then left.

The next day he figured it out and returned to the store. He saw surveillance video there of when he left the jewelry. That same video camera shows a woman come to the counter three minutes later. She picks up the watch and rings and puts them on. After paying for her items, she left.

"It makes me sad but at the same time makes me angry because I would have suspected her being a grown lady in her late 40s, early 50s she should have known better," said Michael DeAnda.

One of the rings has sentimental value to DeAnda because he had it custom made following his return from a year's deployment with the US Army in 2004 in Iraq.

He has filed a report with the Deer Park Police Department, but so far there are no leads on the jewelry.