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Casket, With Body Inside, Stolen From Detroit Cemetery

DETROIT (WWJ) - The hunt is on for a suspect in the theft of a casket from a cemetery in Detroit.

Police say the casket, with a 93-year-old man's body inside, was stolen from Gethsemane Cemetery on the city's east side Monday morning.

Reports say one person has been taken into custody after the casket was found in a white van near Dickerson Street and Harper Avenue early Tuesday morning, about two miles away from the cemetery. It wasn't immediately clear if the body was also recovered.

According to police, someone in a purple pickup truck and a white van drove into the cemetery sometime between 8 and 9:30 a.m. Monday, stole the coffin and drove off.

Detroit police say they have identified a person of interest involving the stolen casket, but have given few details beyond that limited information.

A funeral was held for the man on Saturday, but rain over the weekend softened the ground, forcing the burial to be postponed. The casket was placed in a mausoleum until conditions improved, and was discovered missing Monday by workers preparing for the burial.

An investigation is ongoing.

Stay with WWJ Newsradio 950 and CBSDetroit.com for the latest.

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