Police need help recovering stolen Husker memorabilia

By: Megan Palera
mpalera@klkntv.com

Police now have one suspect in custody after Bill Shepard, a former UNL employee, was burglarized earlier this week. But, they still need your help in recovering the rest of Shepard's championship rings and bowl watches.

He's a legend in Nebraska, and his prized Husker jewelry, snatched by thieves. Former University of Nebraska grounds director, Bill Shepard, came home Monday afternoon to find his house burglarized.

“I go to the mailbox and usually come in to the house and when I walk up the steps, here's my backdoor hanging open a little ways and in two steps here's the glass all over the place,” said Shepard.

Missing from inside, five guns, 17 Husker championship rings and 14 bowl game watches, all earned by Shepard during his years at UNL. Thanks to a Crimestoppers tip, police were able to track down 20-year-old Terique Jackson. Inside the backpack he was carrying, police say they found three of Shepard's rings and a watch.

The search continues and police continue to ask for help in tracking down the rest. “This case is far from over. We've only recovered a small amount of the items stolen from the victim's residence. Our officers will continue to recover those stolen items,” said Officer Katie Flood.

Items near and dear to Shepard's heart. What the 79-year-old calls a piece of his history. “My history's gone. My grand kids or the kids after that or something. They could look and say, there's Grandpa's rings. They're gone,” said Shepard.

All of Shepard's rings have his name on the side and he's hopeful that if the jewelry is pawned, someone will hear this story and remember his initials.