FIFE, Wash. — "Nearly everything we own, everything we've acquired over 40 plus years of our lives is gone," said Jeremy Yama, from his new home in Virginia.
Two U-Haul trucks full of personal items, furniture, family heirlooms and 18 personal firearms with 2 sets of body armor, were stolen during Yama and his wife's move from Washington state in July.
Yama said their entire home was loaded into two U-hauls and then driver and crew left and parked the trucks at the Guesthouse Inn in Fife. Yama said the trucks were not secured and then they were stolen that night on July 27.
At first, Yama and his wife said they felt uncomfortable being told the items would be loaded then unloaded into a bigger trailer.
"My wife was pretty uncomfortable from the start, because they showed up with two U-Hauls, which we had never experienced. She immediately posted on Facebook that she thought we were about to get robbed," Yama said.
Yama said he was assured nothing was out of the ordinary. Their home had limited access for a large moving trailer. He said he was told that was the best way to get their items moved.
The very next day, a Fife Police officer called Yama to say the driver reported the two trucks stolen.
"I started feeling empty for a moment in but that quickly turned to anger, I think naturally," Yama said.
Everything they had was gone.
"All of our belongings, our furniture, our clothes, baby pictures, belongings of our child who's now grown. Everything I've acquired from the military, over 21 years of service, and even some mementos we kept from our son who died at birth," Yama said.
Yama said if he could have one stolen item back, it would be the footprints belonging to his late son.
"I don't think it's a real expectation that a whole lot of stuff is going to be recovered at this at this point. But if there was one thing I would definitely say that."
They have recovered some items after the first truck was found through social media. Yama and his wife did their own investigative work, too.
"Most of the contents were stolen or destroyed. And similarly, the second truck was found by the Puyallup Police department, we went down the middle of the night, with them secured that truck, recovered whatever we could," Yama said.
Now that they have moved to Virginia, they are hoping for a conclusion soon. Yama says one of his firearms was located in a stolen car.
"Given the size of the theft, it was in our entire house, and also due to the 18 personally owned firearms and body armor, 18 firearms is not insignificant, but it feels like it's being treated like any other property crime. We'd also like to contribute to raising awareness on how widespread the crime in the area and around these encampments is getting. We were aware of it, but until we directly it directly affected us and we saw it in person, we didn't really understand the gravity of it," Yama said.
Fife Police tell KING 5 they are actively investigating. They did not give a suspect description. Yama is hopeful someone can help bring their items home.
Contact Fife Police at 253-922-6633 if you have any information regarding the case.