Reward offered after gold stolen at last year's show

Ralph Smith is offering a $500 reward for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in the theft of $100,000 worth of gold a year ago.

Smith, owner of Top O'Deep Inc. in Montana, is back in Coeur d'Alene this weekend for the 17th annual Northwest Gold and Prospectors Association Gold and Treasure Show.

Last year, following Saturday's show, Smith packed his gold into containers and placed it in his truck. He then left the Kootenai County Fairgrounds and went to dinner at Elmer's Restaurant on Appleway Avenue, and when he returned to his truck after his meal he discovered the gold was missing.

"I have thought about and I think it is somebody that knows me, or knows the club or has been here," Smith said.

The gold was in containers, in a truck with tinted windows, and several other items including two computers, three handguns and some silver coins were still on the seat next to where the gold had been. Also, because he was no longer at the Fairgrounds where the show is held, he believes somebody knew what was in the truck and exactly where it was located. He said he has been a vendor at the show for about 14 years now and he and the other vendors take care to protect themselves as much as possible.

"The thing that upsets me the most about it ... a loss is a loss and it hurts, but I love to show people, I love to have the little kids be able to hold a piece of gold and they can feel the weight in it and everything — and they took that away," Smith said.

The gold that was stolen included bullion, coins and jewelry, but was mostly placer gold, which is gold in its natural form. He originally estimated the stolen gold at $60,000, but after going through the list of missing items with the insurance company, they determined it was closer to $100,000.

Detectives with the Coeur d'Alene Police received the name of a potential suspect during the original investigation, but Smith said that turned out to be a dead end.

Smith said if anyone has any information, even one name, it could help lead to a conviction.

Anyone with information about the theft can call Det. Tom Sudol at the Coeur d'Alene Police Department: 769-2320, or contact Smith directly at (406) 691-0306.