- A Utah couple's U-Haul was stolen during their move to Florida.
- The theft included sentimental items like a wedding album and Coast Guard coins.
- Salt Lake police located the suspects using iPad tracking, but most belongings were already gone.
SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah couple is trying to rebuild after thieves stole nearly everything they owned during a cross‑country move — including priceless sentimental items they'll likely never see again.
Hannah and Dan Espinoza had packed their lives into a U‑Haul as they left Utah for a new start in Florida. But during an overnight stop in Albuquerque, their moving truck and trailer were taken.
Hannah Espinoza says the loss still doesn't feel real.
"It sucks. Yeah, it's very sad," she said.
The couple had spent the last few years living in Utah. They loved exploring the state, especially on Hannah Espinoza's motorcycle — a bike she bought while living here, and the most expensive item stolen.
But the financial loss isn't what hurts most. Inside the U‑Haul were irreplaceable pieces of their life together.
"Our wedding album, all those cards, the postcards we've collected," Hannah Espinoza explained. "I used to work with the Coast Guard, so I had 'challenge coins' from a bunch of different projects they had me on."
Dan Espinoza discovered the truck was gone just as he was preparing to leave New Mexico.
"Utter shock and disbelief," he said.
Fortunately, the couple had left iPads with tracking features inside the truck. Police were able to locate the suspects within hours — but by then, most of the Espinozas' belongings had already vanished.
The Salt Lake City Police Department says thefts like this can be difficult to prevent, but there are ways to make moving trucks less appealing to criminals.
Officer Greg Lovell recommends taking extra precautions.
"Double‑locking, using your own lock," he said.
Lovell also suggests parking trucks against a wall or solid surface to block access to the rear doors.
For the Espinozas, the crime has left them in an empty new home, trying to process the loss of nearly everything they owned.
"Knowing we're not going to get those things back hurts, I think, the most," Hannah Espinoza said.
There is a GoFundMe* to help the couple replace essential items as they start over in Florida.
*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
