Family robbed during daughter's funeral


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SANDY -- In a family's greatest moments of suffering, they became the ideal victims.

While the Sindorf family was burying their daughter, someone came into their home and robbed them.

The Sindorf's had heard that thieves will often target obituaries to burglarize the homes of the deceased. But they never thought someone would target the family whose names are all listed in an obituary.

"We loved Robin. We loved her so much," said father Jay Sindorf. "We couldn't believe that she passed away."

Coming Up:
Tuesday at 10:
Monday night KSL News told you about a family who was robbed during their daughter's funeral. We thought it was an outrageous crime, and it seems a lot of you agree. Since the story aired, dozens of people have commented on ksl.com. Tuesday night, we'll talkto others who've been victimized while mourning. Hear from them and how to protect yourself from such a crime on KSL 5 News at 10.

Jay can't make sense of the last week. He always thought his daughter, Robin, would care for him and his wife, Donna, in their old age.

But it wasn't meant to be.

"Things are all wrong here," he said. "I'm supposed to go first."

The "light" of their family, 48-year-old Robin, was playing tennis when she suffered a major heart attack and died the next morning. They never saw it coming.

And their pain would be magnified, when someone saw their suffering as an opportunity.

"It's like spitting on someone's grave," said David Sindorf, Robin's brother.

The day before Robin's viewing, Donna received an odd phone call from a stranger claiming he had been looking through the obituaries and just wanted to offer his condolences.


It's like spitting on someone's grave.

–David Sindorf


The next day during the viewing, Jay stayed behind -- the physical and emotional strain was too much.

Shortly after everyone left, someone knocked on his door. It was a pretty, petite young woman, late 20s/early 30s, with dark pulled-back hair and a pointy nose. Jay said she was wearing all black.

She insistently asked to use the restroom, and Jay complied.

When she emerged, she asked if everyone was up at the viewing, and said she was a friend of his daughter's. And all while keeping his gaze, Jay says the woman stole two checkbooks from a purse on the couch.

"I can't believe it," he said. "I can't believe that happened."

The next day during the graveside service, a well-wisher's car was broken into and two purses were stolen. Now, the Sindorf family is not just grieving, they're also victims.

"How could people be so uncaring of other people?" said Donna.

The Sindorfs filed a police report. The women whose car was broken into did not, and police encourage them to do that.

Employees at the funeral home say they often have problems with vehicle thefts during services. Thieves will act as though they are posting fliers on windshields and break in.

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Jennifer Stagg

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