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Family Of Drowned Walnut Creek Teen Burglarized During Memorial

WALNUT CREEK (CBS 5 / KCBS) – A Walnut Creek family already dealing with the death of their teenage son from a rafting accident returned home from the burial service Thursday to find their home burglarized.

On Thursday, the Miller Family was at a ceremony honoring their 16-year-old son Matthew, who died along with his friend 17-year-old Gavin Powell last Saturday. The two tried to raft down a rain swollen waterway near Murwood Elementary School in Walnut Creek.

KCBS' Mark Seelig Reports:

Matthew's mother Julie Miller said that they returned from the service around 1 p.m. to find that their front door had been forced open, and their home ransacked.

"We've had so much love and support from this community, and we have been heartened by it," said Miller. "But I guess there's just some bad people that will take advantage of other people's hard times."

Walnut Creek Police Lieutenant Mark Covington said it's a classic case of a crime of opportunity.

"It amazes me that people will do things like that, because for me there is no lower form of life than somebody that would capitalize on somebody's tragedy," Covington said.

Police continued to interview neighbors, and follow up on all leads, but had not yet made any arrests.

(© 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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