An undisclosed number of remains are believed to have been stored in auction cases as part of the sale of storage units and taken home by an unsuspecting family after their winning bid.
AFP | | Posted by Yagya Sharma
Police in New Zealand have launched a homicide investigation after human remains were allegedly found hidden in suitcases that were bought at auction in the country’s largest city, Auckland.
An undisclosed number of remains are believed to have been stored in auction cases as part of the sale of storage units and taken home by an unsuspecting family after their winning bid.
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Residents of a South Auckland home called police last Thursday after making the gruesome discovery, confirmed police officer Tofilau Famanuia Vaaelua.
Police do not believe the family was involved in the alleged murder.
“The priority for the police is to confirm the identification of the deceased so that we can establish the full circumstances of the discovery,” Vaaelua added.
An autopsy was being performed and forensic investigators were trying to determine the number of victims, police said. Auctioning abandoned content is a common practice for storage units with unpaid bills.
The owner of a storage unit in Papatoetoe, South Auckland, told news website Stuff the business is co-operating with police in relation to the investigation.
Media outlet Newshub reported that police may be dealing with the remains of several bodies. Vaaelua added that police believe there is “no immediate risk to the public regarding this incident.”
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