Man rejoices as stolen car containing his wife’s ashes is returned

When Melvin Hayes’ Ford Fusion was stolen from a Sacramento-area car wash Thursday morning, the 80-year-old knew the odds were slim he’d see the bright red vehicle again.

Longer still were the odds that he would recover what was stored in the back seat – his wife’s ashes.

But on Saturday, California High Patrol officers contacted Hayes to let him know his car had turned up in Stockton. And, yes, the urn containing the ashes, was found too, Fox 40 reported.

“Today is one of the best days of my life,” Hayes said. “Thursday was probably the worst day.”

Hayes, whose wife died days before Thanksgiving, said he was en route to have the ashes blessed when he pulled into the Premiere Car Wash in Elk Grove, just outside Sacramento.

While waiting for his car, a woman started up a conversation with him, the news station reported. A car wash attendant who mistakenly thought the two were together then apparently released the car to her, while Hayes went to grab a soda.

By the time he returned to retrieve his car, Hayes discovered the woman had apparently driven off in it, along with the urn.

“Who thinks of this? Somebody even writing a novel couldn’t think of this,” Hayes said.

Authorities said they found the car, along with the urn, near the city’s port and arrested two people, CBS reported.

Though Hayes said he’s happy to have his car back, and satisfied that someone might pay for stealing it in the first place, the missing urn is what had left him grief stricken.

“It means everything. Now I can properly take care of my wife’s ashes.”

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steve.marble@latimes.com