'Despicable' thieves try to ransom dead man's ashes

Tauranga police are calling the theft of a dead man's ashes and an attempt to extort money from the man's daughter for the return of them a "despicable" crime.

Thieves broke into a Mt Maunganui woman's home on Saturday night and stole various items, including a Mercedes-Benz car and the ashes of her deceased father.

Senior Sergeant Darryl Brazier told National Radio that the woman was "distraught" at the burglary. On Tuesday the victim started receiving text messages from the thieves.

"They said they would return the vehicle and the urn containing the ashes to her in return for a payment of a considerable amount of cash," Mr Brazier said.

"So effectively it went from a burglary to a blackmail." Mr Brazier said it was a "despicable crime" to use someone's emotions to try to extort money.

Police set up a sting operation to catch the offender by arranging to meet him at a carpark and hand over the ransom money.

"We obviously led them to believe that there was going to be an exchange of money for the car and more importantly for the urn containing her deceased father's ashes," he said.

When the person arrived at the carpark he "got wind" the police were involved and left the scene in a hurry in his own vehicle.

The Mercedes-Benz had been left in the carpark - without the urn inside.

Police pursued the offender but had to abandon the chase because of high speeds.

Mr Brazier said they found the alleged offender's vehicle about 10 minutes later in Papamoa with the urn and other property of the victim's safely in the boot of the vehicle.

"She was very relieved to get her car back but, obviously as you'd appreciate, more relieved to get the urn and the ashes back."

He said that although the person had escaped he left behind property, which identified who he was.

- NZPA