A Cardiff woman was horrified to discover that her car had been stolen from outside her house - with her late father’s ashes still in the glovebox.
Tamzin Ford, of St Fagans, was about to leave for work at around 8am on Thursday June 17, when she discovered her Fiat 500 convertible wasn’t where she had parked it the night before.
To make matters worse, in the glovebox of the stolen car was a small jar containing some of her father’s ashes, which she likes carrying around with her when driving.
Read more: Mum who 'lit up every room' with her 'infectious laugh' dies aged 43
The ashes have since been discovered by police in a nearby hedge and been kept for evidence. But searches of the area and enquiries are continuing, with South Wales Police urging the car thief to “do the right thing” and come forward.
Tamzin’s father, Paul Byers, worked for Cardiff Council for 15 years, including five as a principal officer for transportation and policy, passed away in 2016 after a long battle with throat cancer.
With Father’s Day coming up on June 20, she admitted that it had been a “strange and emotional” week, but added that her dad “would have seen the funny side” of the theft.
“I was shocked,” she said. “I’ve been working really hard recently, so I thought maybe I had parked it somewhere else - I’m always forgetting where I parked.
“But no, it had gone - there was no broken glass or anything, so it may have been towed.
“It may sound odd that I carry my Dad’s ashes around, but he loved Cardiff and travel, so I had him with me in my car so he could go everywhere with me.
“He was really well known in Cardiff and, as well as recycling schemes, he helped put a lot of bus lanes and cycle paths together, so it’s quite ironic that he’s been stolen in a car.
“He’s probably laughing at that and I’m pretty sure he would have seen the funny side of it - it will have freaked out whoever stole the car when they opened the glove box and saw the jar of ashes.”
Incredibly, Tamzin’s car was stolen on the day that the company she set up in memory of her dad was announced as a finalist in this year’s Cardiff Life Awards.
An ethical beekeeper and environmentalist, she created Blossom & Nectar in Pontcanna Mews following Paul’s death, and sells a collection of artisan and branded items, including raw honey, beeswax candles, cards and ceramics.
She said: “I’m beaming with joy and so grateful for us being named as a finalist, I know my Dad would love the business too.
“The build up to Father’s Day is always a bit strange and this year was the first year I was ready to sell Father’s Day gifts - I’m thankful to everyone who bought them.
“I also have another business, an eco-social enterprise, that is totally based on the values from my dad and structured to give all profits back to community projects and change the face of retail - and we’ve had a big proposal accepted this week too.
“It’s been a very strange and emotional week, but I know my Dad would be proud of us.”
The car is a mint green convertible with a cream roof and the registration number CA18 ENV, and was stolen from Cardiff Road between 8.30pm on June 16 and 8am on June 17.
PCSO Richard Davies of South Wales Police said: "Being a victim of car crime is upsetting, an inconvenience, and an unwanted cost - but this theft is particularly distressing for the victim as the car contained her late father's ashes.
"We would urge the person who stole the car to do the right thing and come forward.
"The vehicle was low in petrol so it might have been abandoned or refuelled somewhere.
"We would kindly request local residents and businesses to please check private CCTV and to report any sightings of the car."
Anyone with information is asked to please contact South Wales Police, quoting occurrence number 211976.
