Beijing – A group of thieves raided a cemetery in central China’s Henan Province, stealing urns to use as bargaining chips to blackmail relatives of the deceased.
A media report on Monday in Beijing, said Liu, one of the blackmail victims, informed the police that she had been in contact with members of the gang that had stolen her husband’s ashes.
Liu said a cemetery in Xinyang City called Liu last Thursday to break the news that that her husband’s tomb had been looted, and his urn was missing.
She said another tomb nearby was also burglarised.
Liu said a telephone number had been left on the headstones of the ransacked tombs.
She said when she called the number the person that answered told her that the urn would only be returned if a ransom of 3,136 dollars was paid.
“After the ransom was paid, however, the tomb raiders demanded more money.
Cemetery employees said that the crime bore the hallmarks of an experienced, well-organised mission, based on the limited evidence left at the scene.
Police said an investigation is ongoing.
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Police said they are suspecting that it could be the work of an organised gang that traveled around the country. (Xinhua/NAN)
