Thief uses lubricant to swipe ring on woman's hand

[November 28, 2008]  FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) -- Police said a thief used a Vaseline-like lubricant to swipe an expensive ring off an elderly woman's hand in broad daylight. Authorities said two men bumped 80-year-old Helen Artim's car, then asked her to open her trunk to check for damage.

Police said the suspect ran his hand over hers, covering it with "some type of lubricant," then used a towel to wipe it off. It's then that police believe he slipped the ring off Artim's finger. The piece of jewelry was valued between $20,000 to $30,000.

No arrests in the Nov. 14 incident have been made.

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Information from: South Florida Sun-Sentinel, http://www.sun-sentinel.com

[Associated Press]

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