Son 'reunited with mum' after stolen ashes mistaken for whisky bottle left on doorstep following robbery

A son has revealed that his “mum is home” after his mother’s ashes were left on his doorstep after they were stolen during a flat robbery in Paisley.

Isobel Calderwood’s remains were among the items taken from her son’s empty home in Ferguslie between Monday, January 30, and Wednesday, February 1, when her urn was mistaken for a bottle of high-value whisky.

Gari Burgess, who lost Isobel in July 2021, pleaded for the return of his mother’s ashes on social media, saying it was “tearing his family apart”.

Following his appeal, the urn was left at the back door of the flat where the ornament had been stolen, leaving the family “really happy”.

The urn had been mistaken for a bottle of whisky.

Gari told STV News: “It’s excellent news. Thank you to my friends on Facebook and further out.

“My mum is home, someone sat her outside my brother’s flat. They found a bit of soul.

“We’re all just really happy. It was tearing us apart.

“We just can’t believe it and we can now get on with things, happy as can be.”

Gari revealed his only disappointment with the reunion was that the the urn was returned damaged after the thieves seemingly broke into the cylinder to see what was inside – leaving “blatant fingerprints”.

He added: “The thieves had opened the urn and obviously touched my mum’s ashes.

“They have left two blatant visible fingerprints.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Officers are investigating a report of a housebreaking on Ferguslie, Paisley, which is thought to have happened between Monday, January 30, and Wednesday, February 1, 2023.

“Enquiries are ongoing.”