Police in Montreal are asking families to check the burial sites of their loved ones after investigators uncovered a series of thefts targeting funeral homes across the region. Montreal police (SPVM) said a Montreal couple was arrested May 14 in connection with multiple break-ins over the past year.

Police allege the suspects forced open columbarium niches to steal jewelry and other valuables placed with the remains of the deceased. The break-ins occurred at funeral centres across the Montreal area, Laval, the North Shore and as far as Saint-Hyacinthe on the South Shore. Investigators recovered a large amount of jewelry during the investigation and are now trying to locate the rightful owners.

Police identified the suspects as André Diderot Gustave, 49, and Christina Loubounakis, 50. Loubounakis is described as a white woman, about 1.7 metres tall and weighing 90 kilograms, with brown eyes and black hair that is usually tied back. Gustave is described as a Black man, about 1.85 metres tall and weighing 110 kilograms, with black eyes and a shaved head.

The investigation is ongoing.