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'I Feel Violated': 82-Year-Old Widow Devastated After Late Husband's Ashes Stolen In Robbery

NORTH BELLMORE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- They were to be buried together.

Their plots are already purchased in a cemetery near the couple's lifelong home together, but someone broke in and stole valuables, including a gold urn that contained ashes of the husband.

On Tuesday, the senior citizen victim spoke to CBS2's Jennifer McLogan.

Bernice Immordino clutched her empty gold urn. It is identical to the one that was stolen, the one that contained the ashes of her late husband.

"I thought we'd spend our lives together. Now, I don't even have his remains to spend these last years, so that's so upsetting," the 82-year-old victim said.

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Ashes stolen
(Photo: CBS2)

The boxes were kept side by side, and police believe the suspects thought the heavy one contained jewels. Their children had instructions to bury their parents together.

This week would have marked the couple's 64th wedding anniversary.

"So I feel violated. I feel like my personal life has been broken into," Bernice said.

She said she returned from an afternoon outing to see her most precious rings and necklaces gone and the house in disarray.

The thief or thieves broke in through a rear window and grabbed what they could quickly, including the gold box containing the ashes of James.

"My husband was a very special, kind, intelligent man," Bernice said.

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Her North Bellmore home is now equipped with cameras and security alarms.

Police are hoping residents of Pea Pond Road may have observed the fleeing suspect and suspicious vehicle last Tuesday, Oct. 29, just before 1 p.m.

"All I can say is please return this. You don't have to bring it to the house here. You can take it and leave it at a church or someplace where it would be returned to me," Bernice said.

She said she is not losing faith in mankind. She only hopes the right people see this story and can help.

Nassau County police are going through neighborhood security video and reaching out to pawn shops on Long Island.

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