Heartbroken Family Devastated as Dad’s Ashes Stolen in Shocking Garage Break-In
The police have confirmed that they have launched an investigation after a family had their father’s ashes stolen from a garage, leaving them in a state of great distress.
Sarah Hill, whose father Nigel passed away in January at the age of 72 and was cremated, received a shocking call from her mother who informed her that your dad has gone after a neighbor noticed that the garage door had been forced open on Tuesday morning (19th September).
The family, from Bury, had intended to scatter Nigel’s ashes at the local Woodbank Cricket Club, where he was a beloved handyman. However, they are now devastated and find themselves at a loss for words.
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Sarah’s mother, Susan, had her outdoor garage broken into at around 4:30 am on Tuesday morning. Along with a number of Nigel’s expensive power tools, his ashes were stolen from a light green box inside a bag on his workbench.
When my mother opened the side door, the first thing she noticed was that my dad’s ashes were missing. Some power tools under the workbenches were also taken from locked cabinets that had been forced open, Sarah previously told the M.E.N.
We don’t know if the thief looked in the bag or not. It was a rectangular light green box in a burgundy bag that we had obtained from the funeral directors. Every time I entered the garage, I would say ‘hi dad’.
We are completely lost for words. My mother called me, and I could sense from her voice that something was wrong. She said, ‘your dad’s gone’. He was a beloved member of the community, and everyone in the area knew him.
The Greater Manchester Police have stated that they are now investigating this unacceptable theft and are appealing to local residents or businesses with CCTV for assistance.
PC Rhian Toland of GMP’s Bury division stated, This behavior is completely unacceptable, and we will work diligently to uncover the full details and hopefully recover the victim’s family ashes so we can return them to her. As you can imagine, the victim has been left terribly upset by the break-in at her home and the theft of her father’s ashes.
I would like to urge anyone who may have information about the burglary or may have witnessed anyone acting suspiciously in the area to contact us immediately so that we can pursue these leads and establish the full circumstances of this incident. Residents or businesses with private CCTV are also requested to check for any relevant footage and get in touch with us.
Anyone with information should contact the police on 101, quoting incident number 2738 of 19th September 2023. Information can also be anonymously shared with the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
