Grandmother's Ashes Stolen From Car Parked at Mall

Authorities caution Angelenos time and time again not to leave valuables in our parked cars, but we do anyhow, even when our valuables might include the cremated remains of our loved ones. A family prepping to send their grandmother's ashes by plane to the East Coast had their car burglarized, and the ashes were inside the luggage that was stolen.The family was at the Westfield Promenade Mall in Woodland Hills Monday night, stopping to grab some dinner. While inside the mall, thieves looted their SUV holding their luggage, packed for a trip to reunite grandma's ashes with those of her husband.

With an early-morning flight booked for the next morning, the family had loaded the luggage into the car, a GMC Yukon. Two suitcases and a carry-on bag--the latter of which held the ashes--were taken by thieves. The ashes were in a white plastic bag within a brown box.

Tuesday afternoon, the family was notified that the suitcases had been found, says the Los Angeles Police Department, who are working on the case. "Upon retrieving the luggage, it was discovered that items were missing from the suitcases, but the carry-on back was not among the found items."

Have you seen it? "The missing carry-on bag carrying the ashes is described as black canvas bag, with a “St. John” logo on it," say the LAPD. Anyone with information about the burglary is asked to contact the police.