Police appeal for help after heartless thieves steal ashes from crematorium

Investigations are underway after the ashes of two men were stolen from a cemetery in Ipswich, Queensland on Wednesday morning. 

Local police have urged anyone with information to come forward following the theft of the two urns from the crematorium in the suburb of Willowbank.

The Anderson Day Drive office was broken into at around 3.30am by unknown persons who ransacked the property before taking off with the urns containing the ashes of two local men who were aged 76 and 49 at the time of their deaths. 

The containers were made of plastic, about the size of a shoe box and had name plates taped to the top. 

Detective Inspector David Briese told media that police are unsure of the motive of the thieves and are investigating whether or not they had intended to steal the urns. 

“By the way the ransacking took place they were looking for money or anything valuable, and it appears having not found anything they have then taken the two containers which were sitting on a shelf,” he said.

“Our fear now is upon finding out what they are, that the containers may not be treated with the respect they deserve.”

The boxes had been removed from the crematorium safe on Tuesday and placed on the shelf in preparation for their interment on Wednesday. 

Police notified families of the men, who are not believed to have been known to each other, on Wednesday. Briese said they are obviously “quite distressed” and want to find out where the ashes have ended up. 

“They are just asking, as we are, that whoever is responsible if they could look inside themselves, have some respect for the families and the deceased men and return the ashes to us,” he explained.  “We would ask the people responsible come forward and give the families back what they want.”

Sadly this isn’t the first time ashes have been stolen with multiple reports across the country over the years.

Earlier this year a mother was left absolutely distraught after her son’s urn was stolen from her home. Daniel Buccianti died of a drug overdose at the Rainbow Serpent music festival in 2012 with his ashes safely positioned by his mother’s bed since his cremation, the ABC reported at the time.

This was until August, when mum, Adriana, discovered thieves had broken into her home and stolen the ashes from her bedside table. 

“Why they would do that is beyond my understanding,” an emotional Adriana told the ABC.

Thankfully, after much stress, the ashes were found in a recycling bin in Melton, about an hour away from her home. The pension card of her father, who died four weeks prior was also discovered in the bin.

Although relieved to have the urn back in her possession, Adriana told the national broadcaster she was still angered and confused by the situation.

“I feel angry that I was violated and that these people, the mentality of not only coming to my home and invading my personal space, taking things that don’t belong to them, [but] then throwing the ashes in a recycling bin,” the mum said.

A box containing her father’s ashes were in another room of Adriana’s house at the time of the break-in but were thankfully not touched.

Have you been following this story?