JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Hannah and Daniel Espinoza’s excitement about relocating to Jacksonville and settling into their new home was dashed when a thief made off with their U-Haul during a stopover at a hotel parking lot in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The Espinozas had recently finalized the purchase of their first home in Jacksonville, marking a significant milestone in their lives.

While en route from Utah, Daniel was transporting a U-Haul brimming with furniture, professional gear, and a lifetime of personal memorabilia when, on March 15, the vehicle vanished from its spot at the hotel.

“Replacing electronics like a TV or furniture is manageable, but the sentimental items, like the treasured cards from my late grandmother, are irreplaceable,” lamented Hannah. “These things held immense sentimental value for us, and now they’ve been taken away.”

According to the couple, the thief broke in through the driver’s side window, hot-wired the truck, and cut the lock on the back with bolt cutters before driving away with their belongings.

The theft came just a day or two after they finalized the purchase of their home in Jacksonville.

“We had one of the best days of our life when we closed on our first home, and then 24, 48 hours later we find out we lost everything, everything we were planning to build our life out here, and we have to start from scratch,” Hannah said.

The Espinozas reported the theft to Albuquerque police and contacted U-Haul to file claims.

Daniel said he was in “just utter disbelief and shock.”

“It was the worst, worst thing I’ve ever experienced,” he said.

The couple estimates they lost tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of property, including work equipment, furniture and irreplaceable sentimental items.

“All of our wedding pictures, our photo albums,” Hannah said.

Using an iPad tracking feature, they were able to help police locate some of their belongings at a townhome in Albuquerque, but more than half of what they owned is still missing.

“Honestly, it’s numbing,” Daniel said. “I haven’t really felt anything. It’s just like I’m still in a nightmare. I’m waiting to wake up that we still actually have all of our stuff.”

Hannah said the loss also wiped out their savings.

“We just bought our first home less than a week ago and all of our savings, that was our savings,” she said.

U-Haul sent the following statement to First Coast News:

“We sympathize with any customer who is a victim of theft. U-Haul employs a robust investigations unit that works closely with law enforcement to see that individuals engaged in criminal activity involving U-Haul equipment are captured and brought to justice.

“Per the incident you have referenced, the contract notes show that the customer reported on the morning of March 15 that their rental equipment had been stolen overnight while in New Mexico during a move from Utah to Florida. The stolen truck was found by the police. U-Haul provided a new truck for the customer to continue their move.”

The couple said their belongings had been secured with a lock they purchased from U-Haul.

Hannah and Daniel are now leaning on family, friends and strangers as they try to rebuild their lives in Jacksonville.

“Just thank you to everybody who’s reached out, our employers, our friends, just everybody,” Hannah said.

In guidance shared with customers in cases like this, U-Haul recommends the following steps to reduce the risk of theft:

• Park in well-lit areas and within view of security cameras.
• Do not leave keys in the truck where others can access them.
• Lock doors to the truck cab and place secure locks on the rear cargo doors of your truck and/or trailer.
• Place secure locks on the chains connecting your personal vehicle or U-Haul truck to your trailer so the chains cannot be easily disconnected.
• Back up your U-Haul truck or trailer to a garage, wall or other solid barrier so that possessions cannot be unloaded without the equipment being moved.
• Avoid leaving U-Haul equipment parked and unattended in areas of town where crime is prevalent.
• Avoid loading your possessions into the truck or trailer and leaving it parked and unattended at any time, particularly overnight, if this can be helped. (There will always be an element of risk if a customer chooses to leave a loaded truck or trailer unattended in an unsecured hotel lot.)
• Avoid lending your equipment to other parties or providing keys to someone you do not know.
• Follow precise instructions for equipment pick-up and return.

The family has set up a GoFundMe to help replace their belongings.