Families stepped into line, each one hoping to find something valuable and in some cases, something irreplaceable, that thieves took from them during a June crime spree in Delaware.
"My father would be absolutely stunned," said Kristi Rivera, who was brought to tears when she found what she was looking for at New Castle County Police headquarters.
"I never cried when it happened," she said.
She was looking for a World War II era pocket watch from Russia -- a gift from her father.
"They don't make these anymore," Rivera said. "It was more of we love you and the love that was behind it. You can't get that back. Once it's gone, you can't get it back."
Police recovered Kristi's pocket watch along with thousands of dollars worth of stolen items when they arrested three people accused of stealing jewelry, flat-screen TVs, lawn equipment, tools and computers from homes throughout the county.
Jim Preskenis was lucky, like Kristi. He found his android table. A third victim came in search of a diamond pendant given to her by her late husband. She went home empty handed.
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"I don't care what anyone else keeps, but if I could get this back, that's all that matters to me," says the victim.
And even people who didn't recover their stolen goods did recover some peace of mind knowing that the three suspects were in jail, facing charges connected to 16 home burglaries.
