A funeral urn with ashes was discovered in a Benidorm supermarket locker. Police identified and returned it to the family. The urn was left there for safekeeping during home renovations.
A funeral urn containing human ashes, left in a locker at a Benidorm supermarket, triggered a police investigation this week after staff discovered the unusual item during a routine check. The incident, which unfolded on Monday morning, led to a search for the urn's rightful owners after initial public appeals failed to yield results.
According to local police, the urn was found by a supermarket employee who was inspecting lockers typically used by customers to store personal belongings or shopping bags. Upon realizing the container held ashes, the staff member immediately notified authorities, prompting a formal inquiry.
Efforts to locate the family began with appeals on social media and through local media outlets. However, these attempts did not produce any leads. As a result, officers turned to police databases and collaborated with other security agencies to identify the deceased and their relatives. This approach ultimately allowed police to contact the family and return the urn.
Police spokesperson Quique Tortosa explained that the family had not realized the locker had been opened. The relative who left the urn did so because their home was undergoing renovations and believed the supermarket locker would offer better protection for the ashes during the construction work. The family was unaware of the situation until contacted by authorities.
Had the search for the owners failed, police had considered transferring the urn to the municipal cemetery for safekeeping. The case drew significant attention online, with the police's social media post about the discovery quickly going viral. The post highlighted the unusual nature of the find, noting that while items like keys, wallets, and phones are commonly forgotten, a funeral urn is a rare occurrence.
Unusual discoveries in public spaces are not unprecedented in Spain. For example, the recent discovery of a Roman sculpture head during beach works in Alicante also sparked public interest and debate over the handling of unexpected finds.
In Spain, funeral urns are typically kept at home or in columbaria, and their storage is subject to local regulations. The incident in Benidorm underscores the importance of clear procedures for handling personal and sensitive items in public places. It also highlights the role of police in resolving unusual situations that can arise in everyday life, especially in busy tourist areas like Benidorm, where the population fluctuates and public spaces see high turnover of visitors and residents alike.
