Woman's mother's ashes stolen from Austin storage unit

AUSTIN, Texas - A woman is pleading for the criminal who stole her mother’s ashes to return them. It happened last month at the Public Storage in Northwest Austin. Records show she isn’t the only victim.

Taylor Davis said she had moved to Austin from St. Louis to go to school and put her things in a storage unit while she was staying with a friend.

"I know for sure how I left everything, I knew it was locked, I knew everything was perfectly fine," Davis said.

Davis said she received a message from staff at the Public Storage that her lock had been changed, but she didn’t know why.

"I was just confused, I was confused," Davis said.

When she went to check on her things, Davis said, "they took everything."

Davis said some of the items taken meant everything to Davis.

"My mother's ashes that I can’t get back. I had my grandmother’s ashes in there as well. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I had some of my grandmother’s rings, my jewelry in there, TVs, tangible things, non-tangible things, but I'd rather have the things I can't get back, back," Davis said.

She said they were in a big black trunk which is now gone.

"At this point I’m trying to do everything that I can just to get back the ashes, like that’s it, you stole everything from me, but all I want is my mother and grandmother’s ashes because I cannot get them back, at all, so that’s literally all that I want," Davis said.

MORE CRIME WATCH STORIES:

• Caught on camera: Man hurls rocks at Austin brewery
• Suspected fentanyl dealer accused of killing someone arrested
• VIDEO: Friends escape during armed home invasion in Austin

Austin police records show from Dec. 30, 2023, to Jan. 30, 2024, three burglaries were reported at the Public Storage on Research Boulevard.

"I just need to make awareness for everybody in the community like watch your things, protect your things, do whatever that you can, make it be noticeable and make it be known because people need to hear about things like this," Davis said.

When FOX 7 asked the workers at Public Storage if they were doing anything to help prevent this from happening again, they referred us to the corporate office, and no one returned our calls.

"People need to be held accountable," Davis said.

If you have any information to help with the investigation, call the Austin Police Department.