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Police Charge Two in Hundreds of GTA Mausoleum Thefts Targeting Cremation Niches

Police warn many keepsakes may already be sold or melted, urging families to inspect niches and report losses.

Walls with cremation niches and footpath in the Vinohrady cemetery in Prague, Czech republic, in late summer. Two people are facing dozens of charges after more than 300 thefts from mausoleums and cemeteries in Ontario, Halton Regional Police say.
Halton police have arrested two people after investigators discovered over 300 robberies at mausoleum niches across the Greater Toronto Area.

Overview

  • A 45-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman were arrested on Nov. 7 at a Niagara Falls motel, where officers recovered thousands of dollars in alleged stolen jewelry and other items.
  • Investigators say more than 300 thefts hit mausoleums in Oakville, Burlington, Toronto and the Niagara region, with suspects entering during the day and using tools to access niche compartments.
  • Police allege necklaces and other jewelry that contained cremated remains were taken and the remains discarded, leading to charges that include indignity to a dead body.
  • John Ruch, 45, faces 28 counts and Jordan Noble, 31, faces 25 counts, and both remain in custody pending a bail hearing in Milton as additional charges are anticipated.
  • Recovered property is being catalogued for return, but investigators say many items may be irretrievable, and they ask potential victims to contact mausoleumthefts@haltonpolice.ca or Crime Stoppers; cemetery operators are advising guided niche inspections.