Woman pleading for return of deceased mom's rings stolen from gym locker

A local woman who lost her mom to kidney cancer says her mom's wedding and engagement rings were stolen from a locked gym locker.

When Westborough High School Counselor Courtney Balacco's mom died of cancer, she had her wedding and engagement rings to remember her by.

"My mom, she was like everything to me. I love her more than anything in the world," said Balacco. "She was diagnosed with kidney cancer in late summer of 2006 and she went into hospice in October and gave me her rings, and I've worn them every day."

At the Framingham Lifetime Athletic on Thursday night, Balacco says someone stole the rings from her locked gym locker.

"She would say, you know I'm always gonna be with you. And that's a symbol of that for me. So for them to be gone, was like reliving that loss," said Balacco.

Balacco believes the lock malfunctioned or someone found another way to get around the lock. 
Lifetime Athletic General Manager Steven Gum tells Boston 25 News reporter Crystal Haynes the gym is working with Framingham police:

"This is not something that has been an issue during the one-and-a-half years we have been open and we are very disappointed and simply want the member to be reunited with the rings that are very important to her."

Balacco posted her plea on Facebook, where it got almost 2,000 shares in less than 24 hours.

"I have no judgment. I am a mental health counselor. I'm a school social worker and I understand that life happens and people get desperate, especially around the holidays," said Balacco. "I'm not angry. no questions asked. All I want for Christmas is to have that piece of my mom back."

Framingham police are looking over surveillance images from the gym and checking local pawn shops.

Cox Media Group