Giants' Zak DeOssie Reported His Super Bowl Rings Stolen, Actually Left Them On Top Of His Car

Last month Zak DeOssie thought his championship rings were purloined, but a police investigation concluded that the Giants long snapper had done what many people have with coffee mugs, briefcases, and other items they forget about while getting into their car.

According to a May 6 police report filed with the Summit (N.J.) Police Department, DeOssie lost his Super Bowl rings for the 2007 and 2011 seasons as he left a charity event at the Grand Summit Hotel on May 2. DeOssie said he briefly set down the box containing his rings so that he could open the door after his wife unlocked the car. When he arrived home, he couldn’t find the box. He checked the hotel’s security camera footage but couldn’t find any sign of the rings in the parking lot.

Although the initial police report was for “theft,” the incident became much less scandalous after the supplementary report, which was also filed with Summit PD. The assigned detective determined from his investigation that DeOssie had actually left the ring box on top of his car when he drove away from the hotel, and that was how Summit resident David Smith found a smashed glass box with one Super Bowl ring on Manor Hill Road near the intersection of Pine Grove Avenue. Here’s an unedited passage from the second report’s narrative:

D. Smith stated every morning he wakes up early and walks his dog around the neighborhood. The morning of Thursday 5/3/18 D. Smith discovered broken glass in the street on Manor Hill Rd approximately 10 yards East of Pine Grove Avenue. Due to the fact children walk this route to School, D. Smith decided to pick up the glass and discard it in a nearby recycle bin of a resident on the street. Upon picking up the glass, D. Smith noticed a small box with a ring under it, later identified as a NFL NY Giants Super Bowl ring from 2011. The ring was engraved with the name Deossie and his number 51. At the time, D. Smith had no knowledge that Z. Deossie lived on the street so he decided to hold on to the ring for safekeeping. D. Smith stated he asked some friends at his Country Club in Essex Fells if they knew the name Deossie. Subsequently, D. Smith advised one of his friends indicated that Deossie was actually a member at the same club and would reach out to notify him about the ring. D. Smith stated a short time later, he corresponded with Z. Deossie and made arrangements to return the ring. D. Smith stated upon locating the ring and after speaking with Z. Deossie, he had no knowledge there was a second ring still missing. D. Smith again related that he threw the broken box and glass into a recycle bin for safety concerns and did not think to check inside for another ring. The recycle unfortunately went out the following day.

It was not David’s fault that Zak DeOssie’s box of Super Bowl rings ended up smashed on the road, but ... he should’ve checked the box.

Although the police report valued the 2007 ring at $4,000 less than the 2011 one ($15,000 vs. $19,000), the game that left the Patriots at 18-1 was far more memorable than the game where Ahmad Bradshaw got pushed into the end zone. The report put all the pieces together for the conclusion:

After speaking with D. Smith, I determined that due to the steep incline of Manor Hill Rd. off Pine Grove, it was evident that the box of rings rolled off the roof of Mr. Deossie’s vehicle as he turned onto the street and smashed to the ground. I determined the second ring was either thrown in the recycle inadvertently by D. Smith, or swept away by the rain or City street sweeper. Z. Deossie although frustrated with the outcome was satisfied that a theft was eliminated as a possible scenario. This case will be closed as Z. Deossie was in contact with his insurance company.

I asked DeOssie and his agent whether the other ring had turned up, but didn’t receive a reply. That 2007 ring is somewhere out there, or possibly in a landfill. If you find it, let us know—and also Zak.