A Hamilton family is appealing to the public for help finding the ashes of a relative that were stolen during a break in.

Police say a resident living in the Barton St. East area came home on Wednesday and discovered their front door had been kicked in.

Several items were stolen from inside the home including a black velvet bag containing the ashes of a deceased loved one.

Investigators believe the thief mistook the bag for an item of monetary value. “The family is not interested in pursuing charges and their only concern is for the return of their loved one,” said Hamilton police in a news release.

Anyone with information that could help police is asked to contact Det. Cst. John Obrovac at 905-546-2921.