Overview
- Halton Regional Police say more than 300 daytime thefts targeted cremation niches at eight mausoleums and cemeteries across Oakville, Burlington, Toronto and the Niagara region.
- John Ruch, 45, and Jordan Noble, 31, were arrested Nov. 7 at a Niagara Falls motel and remain in custody pending a bail hearing in Milton.
- Both face dozens of counts including indignity to a dead body, theft under $5,000 and possession of property obtained by crime.
- Investigators allege the pair posed as grieving relatives to tour sites, then used tools to open niches without visible damage and later sold stolen items through pawnshops or private sales.
- Police report that some jewelry contained cremated remains that were discarded, warn many items may have been melted down, and expect further charges as victim identification continues.