Her engagement ring was stolen in Holyoke; a scam then added to couple’s heartache
HOLYOKE ― After surviving two heart transplants and a kidney transplant, Lauren Meizo thought the hardest part of her journey was behind her — until her engagement ring, a symbol of that fight, was stolen from a UPS trailer in Holyoke.
Then came another blow.
Days after the theft, Meizo received a message from someone claiming to have found her ring. But instead of relief, she felt suspicion. The person demanded money upfront and refused to meet in person — raising red flags that pointed to a scam.
Holyoke Police Chief Brian Keenan said in a previous statement , that a United Parcel Service employee reported a theft to police Sept. 3.
The theft happened around 11:30 a.m. while the truck was parked at a loading dock in Holyoke. Someone broke into the trailer and took multiple packages, including some meant for Kay Jewelers.
At the time, Keenan said police didn't know what was inside all the stolen boxes. But one woman reported that her engagement ring was among the items taken.
Meizo said her ring was on the truck because it was being resized after she had lost weight. She said she and her fiancé didn't find out about the theft until Oct. 9 — more than a month after they dropped off the ring at the jewelry store.
"We thought it was all set," she said. Instead, they were told it had been stolen.
She said she contacted Braintree police, where the ring was shipped for sizing by the jewelers, and then UPS.
According to UPS, the thief got away with more than $50,000 worth of goods, including jewelry and Apple electronics, she said.
They also told her that surveillance cameras weren't working well and that footage of the theft that was captured was grainy, she said.
Meizo said the UPS driver described the suspect as wearing a ski mask and driving a white sedan.
"It all just seems really sketchy to me," Meizo said.
Packages bound for Kay Jewelers in the Holyoke Mall were stolen from the back of a delivery truck. (Douglas Hook / The Republican)Douglas Hook
Cruel twist
Days later, Meizo said she posted a video on Facebook about the stolen ring, and it quickly gained attention.
Soon after, she said she received a 5:30 a.m. message from someone claiming to have her ring.
Meizo said she asked the man to send a photo of the ring. What she received looked convincing at first — a picture of a ring in a box that appeared to be hers.
"I thought, 'Oh my gosh, this man really does have it,'" she said.
She called the phone number he used, but the man was rude and aggressive. He claimed to have bought the ring from someone who stole it off a mail truck and wanted $400 to return it — starting with a $200 deposit through Cash App.
The man proposed dropping the ring off at a store in an envelope with her name on it, saying it would be a "secure location," where both parties had something to lose — her money and his freedom, if caught.
Her fiancé, Michael Dutton, asked why the man wouldn't report the thief. Meizo had been told the man feared retaliation.
She said the man used explicit language, and screamed, "Do you not want it or not?'"
"At that point, I said no. I'm not paying to get my stolen ring back," she said.
Meizo realized the scammer was using a fake number from a texting app; when she confronted him, he hung up.
She reported the incident to Holyoke police. After reviewing the image of the ring more closely, she said it was clearly photoshopped — and there's no way to know if the man ever had the ring. Meizo said a detective is now assigned to the case.
Keenan said this week that detectives are working with other agencies in New England because similar thefts have happened in the region. The investigation is ongoing, he said.
Lauren Meizo poses with her fiancé, Michael Dutton, in a hospital after she received an organ transplant nearly six years ago. Meizo's engagement ring stolen in Holyoke truck break-in. (Photo courtesy of Lauren Meizo)courtesy
Meizo said she's been doing her own detective work — contacting pawn shops across the region and emailing photos of her stolen engagement ring. But so far, no solid leads have emerged.
She also discovered a frustrating legal hurdle. After explaining her situation to several pawn shop owners, she was told they can only speak with the person who brings in the merchandise — not the rightful owner.
Meizo and Dutton were able to replace the stolen engagement ring through the jewelers. The jewelers agreed to provide a replacement of similar value, but not including the sales tax, she said. The new ring is now in, and Meizo said she feels complete again.
For better or worse
Meizo, 35, and Dutton, 38, have known each other since high school, but their relationship began in 2013 — the year she needed her first heart transplant due to congestive heart failure.
Dutton reached out with a message of support, then showed up in Boston shortly after. They've been together ever since, through another heart transplant, a kidney transplant and years of recovery.
"He gave me something to look forward to beyond hospital walls — a reason to get better," she said. "I wholeheartedly believe if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be here."
The couple got engaged six years ago but postponed their wedding to focus on Meizo's health, buying a home and getting through the COVID-19 pandemic. The couple is now focused on building a life together with their two dogs.
Meizo is a certified dog sitter and dogs have always been part of her healing. During her first heart transplant, an emotional therapy dog, Oliver, visited her weekly in the hospital. "It just did so much for me," she said.
Her medical challenge gained national attention. Former Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski visited her in the hospital, and outlets like TMZ and "Good Morning America" reached out, she said.
Despite her health challenges — including scoliosis and muscular dystrophy — she said Dutton never made her feel different. "He's never made me feel like the things we can't do are a problem," she said.
Meizo said the theft and attempted scam left her shaken, but even in moments of frustration, Meizo said she reminds herself of the good that still exists. She's alive today because strangers chose to become organ donors.
"I should've been gone 13 years ago," she said. "But because of a stranger, I'm still here. That's something beautiful."
This year, the couple finally felt ready and booked their dream venue and set a wedding date: Sept. 26, 2026.
And when it came to replacing the ring, Meizo found a way to stay grounded. "If I can switch hearts," she said. "I guess I can switch engagement rings."
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