A West St. Paul family is calling out for help to retrieve a bundle of family keepsakes.
Michael Cottes said a safety deposit box filled with family documents and videos went missing after finding his home ransacked Friday afternoon.
Cottes said the videos featured himself, his 11-year old twin daughters – Marisa and Maya Cottes – and Maila, his late wife. The couple adopted the two girls when they were infants in China back in January 2009.
He says the hours of family footage together are most of the memories they have.
“First birthdays, first day of school, all that through to some of the family trips we took, that's all in there,” said Cottes.
The father of two said his wife became ill and the couple was determined to capture as many moments as possible. They are intended to be keepsakes for the girls.
Cottes’ wife passed away three years ago due to an auto-immune disease.
He’s calling for the items to be returned.
“That’s one of the last memories they have of her,” said Cottes.
“We'd like to have them back."
The West St. Paul resident said documents such as adoption papers, citizenships and mementos from China were also in the safety box.
He added that a television, jewelry and other belongings were gone when he came home.
Cottes said he reported the incident to police.
He said anyone with information about the missing videos can contact the East St. Paul RCMP detachment or drop them off at the Bronx Park Community Centre.
