LAKELAND, Fla. (WSVN) — A college student from Lakeland devised a clever plan to surprise his girlfriend with a marriage proposal for the ages.

Craig Vandenberg enlisted the help of a local police officer to execute his scheme. Pretending to be distressed, Craig informed his girlfriend, Emery, that he had lost his wallet. Unbeknownst to her, this was all part of an elaborate setup for the proposal.

Bodycam footage from the police officer captured the heartwarming moment when Emery, concerned for her future fiancé’s lost wallet, approached the officer for assistance. The scene quickly transformed into an unexpected proposal.

In the footage, Emery expressed her gratitude to the officer before Craig took the opportunity to pop the question. The couple shared a sweet, private moment, unrecorded but undoubtedly filled with emotion.

The scheme concluded with Emery saying “yes” to Craig’s creative and memorable proposal.

The video was posted on the Lakeland Police Department’s Facebook page on Saturday. As of Wednesday afternoon, it had nearly 8,000 views.

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