SEATTLE — A Portland family who were living in Seattle while helping their daughter during her cancer treatment is seeking help locating their stolen U-Haul.
Lynn Lashbrook loaded the 15-foot U-Haul on Monday while moving out of the Madison Park apartment that he and his wife were renting for the past year.
"I worked hard all day. I said to my wife, we have to go to the hotel and get a good night's sleep," Lashbrook said.
The plan was to come back the next day to retrieve the truck and drive it down to Portland. Lashbrook took an Uber to where he parked the truck on Lynn Street, only to find it missing.
He understood the chance of finding it wasn't high.
"They take it, they either sell it or use it, they destroy the truck, we have not heard. It's been four days, I still have the keys," Lashbrook said.
On Sunday, Lashbrook contacted KING 5 to say the moving truck has been found, but it was empty. Lashbrook said Seattle Police notified him about the discovery but he has yet to find out where exactly it was found.
It's not just mere furniture that he regrets losing. Inside the moving truck were his daughter's belongings from a battle with breast cancer.
"She had a diary, she had some incredible souvenirs that her aunt put together with different t-shirts," Lashbrook said.
Their daughter, Amy, was 28 years old when she was diagnosed. She is now in remission.
"Anything you lose that is something very personal, particularly going through cancer, yeah, it's a loss and you know it has no value on the street or eBay," Lashbrook said.
For Lashbrook, it was a lesson learned. Though he said he doesn't plan on loading any U-Hauls again anytime soon at age 73.
"The vulnerability was my naiveté. I just didn't put together it was a target," he said.
Lashbrook hopes other movers are aware of potential thieves.
"They're very discreet, they know what they're doing, they're very professional, and I found out unfortunately after all this happened how common this is," Lashbrook said.