The burglars did not touch the televisions, gaming systems, or other electronics. Police say they walked to one back bedroom, took a single object, and left.
What Police Say Happened
The targeted break-in took place in Pueblo, Colorado, according to a report from Law&Crime that cited information from the Pueblo Police Department. The home belongs to Geraldine Sierra and sits on Brothers Lane, about 110 miles south of Denver.
Law&Crime reported that Sierra was away from home when she saw two unknown men inside her house through her home security cameras. She called police. Officers responded, but the men fled before they arrived.
Detectives told Law&Crime that the men were seen getting out of a car, walking directly to Sierra’s home, and entering by forcing open a back door. Once inside, police said, they headed straight to Sierra’s bedroom rather than moving room to room.
Investigators told the outlet they believe the burglary was targeted because the intruders appeared to know the layout of the home. They did not go through the rest of the house, and they did not take commonly stolen items such as electronics or jewelry.
The Only Item Taken: An Urn
When Sierra returned home, she found that her electronics and other valuables were still there. According to Law&Crime’s account of the incident, only one item was missing. The urn that held her father’s cremated remains.
In a separate interview with local ABC affiliate KRDO, Sierra said the urn contained the ashes of her father, Patrick, who had died the previous year after a battle with cancer.
A Daughter’s Public Plea
Sierra told KRDO that her relationship with her father did not end when he died, and that keeping his ashes at home was part of how she coped with the loss.
“He was like my best friend. Someone that I talked to every single day up until he passed away. You know, he was my hero. He was my everything, honestly. When he passed away, everything just stopped,” she said in the television interview.
Speaking to KRDO about the theft, Sierra had a direct message for whoever took the urn. “Return my father’s ashes,” she stated.
She also described what it has been like to know that the remains of a loved one are no longer in her care. “I just wish somebody would bring him back home,” Sierra said.
An Investigation With More Questions Than Answers
A spokesperson for the Pueblo Police Department told Law&Crime that detectives continue to investigate the case and are following up on leads. As of the most recent reporting from Law&Crime and KRDO, police had not publicly identified any suspects or announced any arrests.
The description of the incident provided by investigators raises a number of unresolved questions. Police have said the intruders appeared to know the home’s layout and moved directly to the room where the urn was kept, yet they have not explained publicly how the burglars might have gained that knowledge.
It is also not clear from public statements whether detectives believe the thieves knew they were taking human remains, or whether they might have mistaken the urn for something else of value. Public reporting so far has not mentioned any contact from the burglars after the break-in.
For now, the investigation is treated as a residential burglary in which a single irreplaceable item was stolen. Officials have asked that anyone with information contact Pueblo police.
That leaves two parallel efforts in motion. Detectives are working to identify the men who broke in and to find out why they focused on a single urn. Sierra is waiting for answers and for the return of what she describes as her father’s final resting place.
