NYPD On A Manhunt For Couple Who Lost Engagement Ring Down Grate During Proposal

The NYPD is on a manhunt, but it’s not a criminal they’re trying to find.

This week, viral CCTV video showed a man proposing to his girlfriend on a street in Manhattan but fumbling the exchange of the ring. As the BBC noted, the pricey piece of jewelry slipped through his fingers and fell through a grate, where it was lost.

Some police officers saw the footage and were able to fish the ring out from inside the grate. They cleaned it up as well, but now need to find the couple who ultimately abandoned the effort. As the report noted, the NYPD released the CCTV video in the hopes that someone knows the couple and can reunite them with the lost ring.

“The footage was taken just before midnight on Friday night and was released by police shortly after,” the report noted. “It doesn’t show the moment the man pops the question but we do see him getting down on one knee in an attempt to find the ring.”

The NYPD tweeted out the footage on Saturday, and it already has more than 12,500 retweets as more people join the effort to get the ring back to the couple.

“WANTED for dropping his fiancee’s ring in Times Square! She said Yes – but he was so excited that he dropped the ring in a grate,” NYPD News tweeted. “… Officers rescued it & would like to return it to the happy couple.”

There could be a few chances for the NYPD to find their couple. The video shows a number of other people on the street at the time of the proposal, people who might be able to identify themselves and give some kind of hint about the couple. The widespread news coverage could also help, with the story being picked up by a number of national news outlets and the video spreading far on social media.

Here’s a photo of the ring our officers recovered (and cleaned!) Call 1-800-577-TIPS or DM @NYPDTips if you know the happy couple so we can return it to them! pic.twitter.com/hzFXxuMVJW

— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) December 1, 2018

The video also captures a bit of their futile rescue efforts.

“His fiancee (although we don’t know if she actually said yes) puts her hands to her face when she realizes what has happened. She crouches down next to him, trying to help, but they are unsuccessful. The man then lies down on the floor by the grate, trying to reach the piece of jewelry but again they are unable to retrieve it.”

Anyone who might know the couple is asked to call the NYPD at 1-800-577-TIPS or by sending a direct message to @NYPDTips on Twitter.