Name: Two charged in rash of mausoleum, graveyard thefts
Uploaded: 2025-11-18T08:32:31.085Z
Duration: 2 min 10 s
Description: A man and woman face dozens of charges for allegedly stealing jewelry and other items from cremation niches at mausoleums and cemeteries across the Greater Toronto Area.

A man and woman face dozens of charges for allegedly stealing jewelry and other items from cremation niches at mausoleums and cemeteries across the Greater Toronto Area.

Burlington

Authorities in Ontario have charged John Rutch, 45, and Jordan Noble, 31, in connection with a string of thefts from eight cemeteries across the Greater Toronto Area. Police allege the suspects broke into cremation compartments, stealing valuables such as jewelry, medals, and urns, and in some cases, dumped the ashes of the deceased. 

The investigation revealed that approximately 300 graves were targeted in recent months. Cemetery operators are now reviewing security measures, and police have set up a dedicated email for additional victims to report missing items. Some stolen items have been recovered, but police believe much of the loot has been melted down or sold.

Two charged in rash of mausoleum, graveyard thefts

I was outraged, you stole from the dead, what kind of person are you? Police repeating the words of a family member whose loved one's resting place was looted. One of 300, police say, that have been ransacked in recent months. It was premeditated, deliberate and utterly disgraceful. Police allege 45-year-old John Rutch and 31-year-old Jordan Noble targeted eight cemeteries across the greater Toronto area. In some cases, they posed as grieving family members. It's alleged they'd return with a drilling tool, break into cremation compartments called niches, taking anything from gold chains to Pan Am medals and sometimes even the urns themselves. The accused had dumped the ashes of loved ones. That landed the accused with three counts each of indignity to a dead body, in addition to theft charges. You know there are watches and gold jewelry but it's the sentimental little things like key chains and souvenirs from past vacations that really hit home how much of a violation this must be for the families. This is just what they found on the suspects while arresting them at a Niagara Falls motel. Police believe a lot more has been melted down and sold. It's more grief, it's more loss. The Mount Pleasant group of cemeteries wasn't targeted but the news has them double-checking their mausoleums. Any company would review their security measures and always have in mind what more can be done. In a statement, Arbor Memorial, the company that owns and operates five of the cemeteries that were hit, says families can get in touch and arrange a guided niche inspection where they can remove any valuable items at their discretion. I think that this will be a wake-up call for a lot of cemeteries and mausoleums to understand what lighting and extra security measures can do. Police believe there are more victims. They've even set up an email for people looking to report missing items. Ali Chiasson, CBC News, Toronto.

Brazil's Supreme Court on Tuesday (November 25) ordered former President Jair Bolsonaro to begin a prison sentence of more than 27 years for plotting a coup in 2022, according to a court document.

Brasília

Brazil's Bolsonaro to start 27-year prison sentence for coup plot

President Trump says only a few "points of disagreement" remain on a possible deal to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. The president says he will meet with the leaders of both countries only when the deal is in its final stages.

Washington

Trump optimistic on Russia-Ukraine peace deal despite recent strikes

The FBI has launched an inquiry into six Democratic lawmakers after President Trump accused them of “seditious behavior” for appearing in a video encouraging U.S. service members to refuse unlawful orders.

FBI probes Democrats over video urging troops to refuse illegal orders

President Donald Trump's administration has ramped up pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by designating the Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization. But the entity that the U.S. government alleges is led by Maduro is not a cartel per se.

Caracas

U.S. labels Maduro-tied Cartel de los Soles as terror organization

The head of Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF), General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, said late on Monday (November 24) that his paramilitaries would immediately enter into a three-month humanitarian truce in its conflict with the country's armed forces.

Khartoum

Sudan's RSF paramilitary says it will enter into ceasefire

A U.S. official tells CBS News that Ukraine has agreed to a peace proposal brokered by the Trump administration, but some details still need to be sorted out. CBS News' Holly Williams reports.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Ukraine agrees to peace proposal with Russia, U.S. official says

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, the U.S.- and Israeli-backed organization to distribute aid in Gaza, said on Monday (November 24) it was ending its operations after months of criticism over the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians trying to reach GHF hubs.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Divisive U.S.- and Israeli-backed Gaza aid group ends operations

Darfur

Sudan's RSF paramilitary says it will enter into a ceasefire

Chauncey Billups, who was serving as head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers until his suspension, pleaded not guilty on Monday to charges related to alleged rigged high-stakes poker games.

Chauncey Billups pleads not guilty to charges

The Kremlin on Monday (November 24) said that a European counter-proposal to a U.S. 28-point peace plan for Ukraine was not constructive and that it simply did not work for Moscow.

Moscow

Kremlin rejects revised European peace plan to end war in Ukraine

A federal judge has dismissed the criminal cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James on the grounds that Lindsey Halligan, the interim U.S. attorney who secured their indictments, was unlawfully appointed to the role.

Cases against James Comey, Letitia James dismissed

At least 90 people have died in a week of torrential rain, flooding and landslides in south-central Vietnam, authorities said. Popular tourist areas have been heavily hit, with parts of Nha Trang submerged and deadly landslides cutting off roads near Da Lat.

Nha Trang

Vietnam flooding kills at least 90

The Trump Administration is ramping up pressure on Venezuela as the Air Force conducted a simulated nighttime attack along the country's coast. Charlie D'Agata has the latest.

Trump ramps up pressure on Venezuela with nighttime Air Force attack

Israel killed Ali Tabtabai, the acting chief of staff of militant group Hezbollah, in an airstrike on a southern suburb of Beirut on Sunday, the Israeli military said.

Beirut

Middle East Conflict

Israel kills Hezbollah military leader in Beirut strike

While Russia and Ukraine continue to exchange daily drone fire, an updated peace framework is being worked out in Geneva between Ukraine, the US and European partners.

Ukraine upholds red lines as Geneva peace talks continue

Álvaro García Ortiz's decision came less than a week after he received a two-year suspension and a fine for disclosing private information about the partner of an opposition politician.

Madrid

Spain's attorney general resigns after conviction over data leak

U.S. President Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency has been disbanded with eight months remaining in its mandate, and Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor has told Reuters that the cost-cutting body now "doesn't exist".

DOGE 'doesn't exist' with eight months left on its charter

Al-Burhan rejected a new truce proposal from US envoy as the “worst yet”, accusing the Quad mediators of bias due to the UAE’s involvement.

Al Fashir

Sudan’s army chief rejects quad truce proposal as ‘worst yet’

Three suicide bombers and three security personnel killed in attack on the Federal Constabulary headquarters in Peshawar, media reports say.

Peshawar

Six killed in suicide attack on security complex in Pakistan

The attack which Israel says to have killed chief of staff Haytham Tabtabai in the southern suburbs of Beirut also killed four other people and injured 25.

Israel says to have killed top Hezbollah official in strike on Beirut

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer suggested that former Prince Andrew should testify before the U.S. Congress as part of its ongoing investigation into Jeffrey Epstein. Starmer did not discuss Andrew’s case directly but said, as a matter of principle, everyone involved should cooperate with the inquiry.

London

Starmer says former Prince Andrew should testify in Epstein probe

About 50 schoolchildren aged 10–18 who were abducted in Niger state, Nigeria, have escaped, authorities confirmed. They fled individually between Friday and Saturday, according to the Christian Association of Nigeria, which runs the school. Officials continue to track those still missing.

Niger

50 abducted Nigerian schoolchildren escape, authorities say

The first G20 summit to be held in Africa has been labelled a "triumph of multilateralism," as leaders from the world's more powerful economies came together in Johannesburg. South African leader Cyril Ramaphosa used his presidency to highlight the priorities of Africa and the global south.

Johannesburg

G20 shared goals 'outweigh differences' as summit ends

After running a day overtime, delegates at COP30, the United Nations climate summit in Belém, Brazil, finally reached a deal on a final agreement, but one that falls well short of the high expectations held by many delegates, environmental groups and NGOs.

Belém

COP30 climate deal falls short of expectations

Washington signaled room for negotiation on a 28-point plan to end the Ukraine war, denying claims by some U.S. senators that it is a Russian "wish list," as Kyiv and European allies criticized the proposal ahead of Sunday talks in Geneva.

Geneva

Europeans push for stronger deal for Ukraine as Geneva talks continue

The United States is set to launch a new phase of Venezuela-related operations in the coming days, four U.S. officials told Reuters, as the Trump administration steps up pressure on President Nicolas Maduro's government.

U.S. to launch new phase of Venezuela operations, sources say

Premier Li Qiang said Beijing wants to work with Pretoria to safeguard the multilateral trading system.

China pledges to work more closely with South Africa

Brazil's COP30 presidency pushed through a compromise climate deal that would boost finance for poor nations coping with global warming but that omitted any mention of the fossil fuels driving it.

UN climate talks end with no binding deal on fossil fuels

U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, a once-loyal supporter of Donald Trump who has since become a critic of the president, said she is resigning from Congress in January. Greene's resignation followed a public fallout with Trump over the Epstein files.

Trump loyalist-turned-critic Marjorie Taylor Greene resigns

The Coast Guard said it conducted its largest cocaine seizure in history worth an estimated $362 million. Take an inside look as officials offload the nearly 50,000 pounds of drugs.

Breakdown