MONTREAL — Someone broke into the car of Pat Burns’ widow within hours of his funeral, Montreal police said Tuesday.
Police said the thieves would have known whose belongings they were stealing when they ransacked Line Burns’ car, taking about 30 autographed hockey sweaters from Burns’ personal collection.
“They went through his stuff,” said Constable Anie Lemieux of the Montreal police, noting Burns’ wallet was in the car.
“The person who left with the shirts and everything knows that this is Pat Burns’ stuff.”
Burns, who coached the New Jersey Devils to the 2003 Stanley Cup title, died Nov. 19 after a long battle with cancer at age 58.
Burns’ cousin Robin, who delivered a eulogy at Monday’s funeral, called the crime “deplorable.”
The entire roster of the Devils was on hand for the service honoring the police officer-turned-hockey coach, who also had successful runs in Montreal, Toronto and Boston. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and Quebec Premier Jean Charest were joined by stars such as Raymond Bourque, Patrick Roy, Tie Domi and Luc Robitaille.
Burns’ widow discovered the crime Tuesday morning. Police said they would launch a public appeal to the thieves, asking them to leave the stolen items in an agreed-upon spot where they could be recovered.
The crime was committed between midnight and 9 a.m. Tuesday. The Burns family and many friends had attended a wake in a downtown bar Monday night after the funeral.
The stolen items included two suitcases containing Burns’ and his wife’s clothes, a Movado men’s watch, family photos, bed sheets from the palliative-care unit, an iPad and jewelry.