90-year-old veteran seeks help finding custom cane lost at Costco in Clovis

CLOVIS, Calif. (KFSN) -- A 90-year-old Air Force veteran and retired Fresno police lieutenant is hoping the public can help reunite him with a cane that holds deep personal significance.

Jim Pryce, who served in the Air Force and later spent decades with the Fresno Police Department, said the cane he uses every day represents both his military and law enforcement service.

"Four and a half years in, post-Korea, came out in 60," Pryce said. "Became an officer in 1961 and retired in 1996 as a lieutenant."

The maplewood cane is decorated with pins that commemorate different parts of his life and service. Pryce said the pins also remind him of a trip to Washington, D.C., through the Honor Flight program.

"They were sort of special to me because I had the police badge, the little tiny police badge below that were motorcycle wings," Pryce said. "Underneath that was an American flag, and that was to represent I had been on the Honor Flight. Below that was a little image of an Air Force emblem."

Pryce said the cane was a gift from a fellow retired officer, John Connolly.

"He has quite a woodworking shop in his home. He does a lot of beautiful work, and John Connolly made this cane," Pryce said.

The cane recently went missing after a trip to Costco in Clovis. Pryce said it was accidentally left in a cart after an employee helped him take water to his car.

Since then, the cane has not been found.

"I checked with Costco. They've been so nice," Pryce said. "They took me into their warehouse and they checked everything."

Pryce's daughter and her husband have also checked with the retailer, but the cane has not been located.

Although a new cane is already being made, Pryce said he hopes the original will be returned because of its sentimental value.

"I just hope that they would return it just because of the sentimental value," Pryce said. "It doesn't mean that much to someone else, but I would certainly appreciate it."

Anyone with information about the cane's whereabouts is asked to contact the Clovis Police Department.

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