Hotel worker accused of stealing Super Bowl ring

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (WSVN) -- A South Florida hotel worker is accused of being a Super Bowl ring thief.

According to police, the ring was stolen from the vehicle of New Orleans Saints linebacker Stanley Arnoux during Memorial Day weekend.

On Memorial Day, a customer reportedly walked into Kendale Jewelry, a pawn shop on Southwest 72nd Street and 152nd Avenue in Southwest Miami-Dade, with the championship ring. "It was a very distinctive ring. I was actually very surprised that he was selling the ring instead of pawning it," said Alberto Iturrey of Kendale Jewelry.

The ring was from the 2008 NFL season, when the New Orleans Saints defeated the Indianapolis Colts and won the Super Bowl championship title. Arnoux's ring is valued at over $30,000. However, Iturrey only offered $1,200 to the customer who brought the ring to the pawn shop, since the ring's gold was worth that amount. Iturrey said, "A couple days later, he came back to the store and he asked what we were going to do with the ring. I found that odd. I found that very odd."

Iturrey called police and investigators determined Gil Ulloa, a valet manger at the Fontainebleau Hotel on Miami Beach, stole the Super Bowl ring. During Memorial Day weekend, Arnoux attended a party at the Fontainebleau. Miami-Dade Police Detective Javier Baez said, "He ransacked the vehicle, opened up the glove box, stole $200 as well as the Super Bowl ring."

It was difficult for Iturrey to track down Arnoux, due to the NFL lockout, so he contacted Arnoux through Twitter. The 25-year-old athlete then came to the pawn shop to pick up his ring. "His eyes watered when I gave him back the ring," said Iturrey. "He told me, his exact words were, "'Man, I feel like I am receiving it again for the first time.'"

Ulloa has been charged with grand theft and dealing in stolen property. He has been released on $20,000 bond.

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