New Jersey Family Pleads For Burglar To Return Loved One's Ashes
SOUTH AMBOY, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A New Jersey family is pleading with the person or people who broke into a home and stole their loved one's ashes.
Jamie Stratton says her Uncle Mike passed away from pancreatic cancer at the age of 70.
"He was a hunter. He was a big, burly 6-foot-2 guy, maybe even taller than that," Stratton told CBSN New York's Alice Gainer.
Mike's wife, Liz, has kept his ashes in a wooden box within another box in her home since 2011, but now the ashes are gone.
"They looked on the dresser where my uncle's shrine was and it was missing. Everything was tore apart," Stratton said.
Stratton says her aunt returned to her home in South Amboy last week and found that someone had broken in. Some jewelry, including her original wedding band, and the ashes were missing.
"I just want them to bring him home. Forty-nine years together with someone is a long time. They always said that when something happened to them, they were going to get cremated and they would remain together. Now that's not going to happen. Please bring him home," Stratton said.
Police say this case is a priority for them. They too are urging whoever has the ashes to return them.
"There's a good chance that the person didn't even realize what they might've been taking, but it's extremely important to their loved ones that they be returned," South Amboy Police Chief Darren LaVigne said.
"It's not valuable to them. It's valuable to us," Stratton said.
They say the person who has the ashes can drop them off at a church, a police station or the home.