'It's so sick!' Urn with man's cremains stolen after celebration of life at Salvation Army

Just after family and friends of Samuel Abreght celebrated his life at the Salvation Army in York, Pa. on Saturday morning, they made a horrific discovery — someone had stolen an urn containing his ashes.

"It was disturbing; I'm saddened that an individual would stoop to that level and impact the family in such a negative fashion," Salvation Army Maj. Dennis Camuti said Wednesday.

Abreght's mother, Mary Auman, said her son battled lymphoma for five years before his death. His final weeks were very painful, yet still, he managed to keep a smile on his face.

"Why? What was the purpose? Why would you steal somebody?" she said. "All we want is it back; I don't want to see somebody go to jail." 

Abreght's loved ones took to Facebook, pleading for the thief to return the urn, but to no avail. Since then, they have filed a report with York City Police, Auman said.

Two friends, Frank Quintin Jr. and Fred Walker, offered a combined $400 reward for information about the theft, according to Quintin's Facebook page.

"A parent should never have to (bury their) child let alone to have something like this happen after losing a child," Quintin wrote.

The pleadings on Facebook turned to anger when the urn was not immediately returned.

"Got till Monday or u could b in serious trouble," Abreght's brother, Kevin Troup, wrote on his page. "Some how some way it better b returned. Hate for someone to go do jailtime for a stupid act. It's so sick!"

Quintin offered his mailboxes at 940 Vander Ave. and 30 Eberts Lane as anonymous drop-off points. Camuti said the urn could also be returned to the Salvation Army, located at 50 E. King St., York.

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Celebration and theft

Abreght, 42, of Dover, died May 16. He was well-known to the congregation at the Salvation Army, Camuti said.

"Samuel was the son of two folks who attend the Salvation Army and are very active," he said, referring to Abreght's mother, and his stepfather, Paul S. Auman. "He was on our prayer lists for the past three or four years, minimum."

Mary Auman described her son, who was a carpenter/contractor by trade, as having a "magnetic personality."

"Anybody who met him liked him from day one," she said.

On Saturday, about 140 people packed the chapel for Abreght's service. The urn sat on a table in front of the chapel, Camuti said. 

Following the service, loved ones moved to the community room, located about 50 feet from the chapel, for a reception.

Camuti believes the urn was taken sometime after the service and before Abreght's family was locking up after the reception.

Friend Sherrie Ritz posted photos of the urn and Abreght on Facebook, asking for those reading to share them to others.

"There are many people who wanted and deserved to have a small piece of Sammy and that can no longer happen," Ritz wrote. "PLEASE SHARE and Spread the word.. the power of social media is an incredible thing... please help us bring Sammy home."

How to help

If you have any information about the stolen urn, you can contact police using one of the following methods:

-- Text information to “yorktips” at 847411 (TIP411)

-- Call York County Crime Stoppers 755TIPS

-- York City Police #846-1234 or #849-2219 (Detective Division)

-- York City Police Tip Line- #717-849-2204