Bodies of two children found in suitcases bought at auction in New Zealand

Police and forensic investigators gather at the scene where suitcases with the remains of two children were found, after a family, who are not connected to the deaths, bought them at an online auction for an unclaimed locker, in Auckland, New Zealand, August 11, 2022 in this still image taken from video. TVNZ/Handout via REUTERS TV

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand police are investigating the suspected murder of two children whose remains were found in suitcases bought at an online auction for an unclaimed locker last week.

Police launched a homicide inquiry in Auckland last week after the remains were found by a family going through the contents of a storage locker they had purchased unseen.

The two children were aged between 5 and 10 years and had been dead for some time, police said in a statement on Thursday. The suitcases had been in storage for some time, they added, without providing details.

Detective Inspector Tofilau Faamanuia Vaaelua told reporters the children had yet to be formally identified, but they believed they had family in New Zealand.

It was possible their families were not aware the children were dead, he added.

Police did not give any details on how the children had died or whether there were any suspects.

The family who found the bodies were not connected to the deaths.

(Reporting by Lucy Craymer; Editing by Stephen Coates)