Cleveland Police search for luggage thieves who stole a bag containing loved ones remains

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Cleveland Police are searching for a pair of luggage thieves who they say stole two bags right off the conveyer belt at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport this weekend.

On Sunday, 19 News spoke with a California family who flew here with their mother’s ashes and death certificate but the bag containing the remains never arrived on the carousel.

American Airlines told them their bag definitely made it.

At first, the family thought someone might have grabbed their bag by mistake, but now they are certain it was stolen.

Police said a man and woman captured on surveillance cameras stole two pieces of luggage from the American Airlines carousel Saturday night, the same night this family’s bag went missing.

19 News spoke with the detective on the case and he tells us the stolen bag in the security video is the California family’s bag.

The ashes belonged to Harold Karaka’s mother-in-law, 92-year-old Doris Moreen.

She was originally from Northfield and wanted to be buried at the same cemetery as her mother.

“The memory of Doris is more important than anything, but the ashes would be highly appreciated,” Karaka said.

The family held a memorial Monday and was hoping to have their loved one’s ashes back by then but that wasn’t the case, now karaka is hopeful that he will be able to get his mother-in-law’s remains back safely.

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