Cremated Remains Stolen From Alameda Church Partially Recovered
ALAMEDA (CBS SF) - Police have recovered some of the cremated remains of a man that had been stolen from an Alameda church over the weekend, police said.
A backpack containing the remains of Marvin Kent Hockabout was stolen during the preparation for the man's funeral service at Christ Episcopal Church on Santa Clara Avenue at about 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Lynch said.
Wednesday morning, a 35-year-old Oakland man returned a box containing some of the remains to the church, Lt. Sean Lynch said.
The good Samaritan had found the box several miles away in the area of 400 29th Ave. in Oakland, near Interstate Highway 880, Lynch said.
He first noticed the box on Monday night, but did not think much of it until he saw media coverage of the theft, Lynch said.
The man returned to the area on Tuesday night, picked up the box, then waited until morning to drop it off at the church, Lynch said.
Police have not recovered a second box containing the rest of the remains, Lynch said.
The box, which had been provided by the crematorium, is made of fiberglass and sealed tightly, with the name of the deceased man on the outside, he said.
"I've learned that people will steal anything that's not nailed down to the ground," Lynch said. "But stealing from a church is pretty despicable."
Anyone who finds the remains is asked to contact Alameda police at (510) 337-8311.
(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services may have contributed to this report.)
