Man's Remains Stolen From Church Before Memorial

An Alameda family remained in shock Monday night, two days after a thief entered a church and stole a backpack...

9:40 pm PST March 7, 2011

Updated: 10:56 am PST March 8, 2011

ALAMEDA, Calif. -- An Alameda family remained in shock Monday night, two days after a thief entered a church and stole a backpack containing urns with the ashes of a recently deceased man less than 30 minutes before the start his funeral. 

The family told KTVU the theft took place at Christ Episcopal Church located on Santa Clara Avenue in Alameda shortly before the Saturday memorial service was set to start for 74-year-old Kent Hockabout. 

The sanctity of a church proved to be no deterrent for a thief who walked up to the altar during the ten minutes when the family and church staff were out of the room to prepare for the ceremony. 

"So here laying on this side was Kent Hockabout's backpack and inside that were his ashes inside an urn," explained Rev. Kathy Crary. 

Hockabout's widow Eleonore told KTVU her husband’s ashes were divided into three urns and placed into a backpack he used for his travels to Europe, Africa and the Middle East as a diplomatic courier for the State Department. 

The backpack was supposed to be on display during the memorial service next to a photo.

 "Shock. Horror. Terror. It took a moment," said Mrs. Hockabout when describing her immediate reaction to the theft. "We can't do anything about it." 

Relatives and friends went outside to search, but turned up empty handed. The family decided to go ahead with the memorial service. 

"Whether it's the body or the ashes, it was not the person," said Hockabout. "It was a symbol." 

Still, Hockabout wants her husband's remains back so she can go on what she described as a "pilgrimage" to spread his ashes among his favorite places. 

"I'd rather be interested in what went through their head. Going into a church? Secondarily the backpack, but going into church and thinking they can take things from there?" asked Hockabout. 

The family is asking that the urns be returned either to the church or to the police station, no questions asked. 

Eleonore Hockabout said she doesn't want the person responsible for the theft to be prosecuted.

LINK TO VIDEO:

http://www.ktvu.com/news/27114439/detail.html?cxntlid=cmg_cntnt_rss