One Alabama family’s already mournful Christmas season has gotten even more “devastating,” after their father’s cremated remains were stolen.
KVVU-TV in Las Vegas reported Monday that Las Vegas Cremations is offering a $3,000 reward for the return of three sets of cremated remains, including that of 77-year-old Joel Pugatch, who died last month.
Pugatch’s remains were stolen from a postal employee while in transit back to Birmingham, where his family had a memorial service planned.
The man’s daughter, Deborah Pugatch, said the family is devastated and had to hold the service on Saturday without his ashes.
“Our father passed away in Las Vegas on November 23 and we were hoping to get the remains over the last week or so. We knew they were going to be shipped over the last couple of days, and then to get this phone call, it’s devastating,” she told WBRC.
One of the man’s other daughters, Rachel Storey, explained that the heinous theft made the family’s initial loss that much worse.
“He lived across the country, and these people talked about his good heart and how he always wanted to help them and help people around. We just want someone to help him now and bring him home,” Storey said.
She added that she hopes the person who stole the remains finds it in their heart during the holidays to return them.
“This is not a replaceable item,” Storey emphasized. “There’s nothing to replace him and we just want him back. We’ve already lost him. Let’s not lose him, the little bit we had.”
While authorities are searching for the thief, the family has indicated charges will not be pressed if the guilty party voluntarily returns that last “little bit” of their father.
“They said, ‘No questions asked, just bring them back, no questions asked.’ And that’s what we would hope that they would do,” Pugatch outlined.
“I mean, that’s all we want. He wanted to come back to Alabama, we want to bring him back,” Storey added.
The cremation company has also expressed its reaction to the theft, urging the remains be returned in a quick manner.
“Las Vegas Cremations is shocked and saddened by the criminal act and wants nothing more than to have the cremated remains returned as soon as possible,” a press release stated.
Anyone with information on the theft can remain anonymous. To contact Las Vegas Cremations, call (870) 255-1878 or (702) 462-9950.
Watch the full report on the theft here.
Sean Ross is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
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