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Wedding items, dishes from Poland stolen from U-Haul in Milpitas

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Published  July 19, 2023 6:05am PDT
Crime and Public Safety
KTVU FOX 2

U-Haul stolen hours after couple arrives to new Bay Area home from Canada

A couple, new to the Bay Area, is devastated after their belongings were stolen from a U-Haul just hours after arriving at their new home. The couple moved to Milpitas from Canada.

MILPITAS, Calif. - A U-Haul filled with irreplaceable items was stolen in Milpitas from a Canadian man who drove to the South Bay last week.

Jeff Lange said almost all of his family's belongings were inside that truck, many of which were invaluable. 

"I just pulled in here and backed up," Lange said Tuesday as he pointed to the spot on Jurgens Drive where he parked the U-Haul.

Lange said it was stolen hours after he arrived from Canada on Friday at his new home in a quiet residential neighborhood.

Police found the truck Monday in Hayward. Most of their possessions had been stolen. 

"At first, I was furious," Lange said. "And then, I was in shock. Now, I'm mostly just sad." 

He shared photos of items he hopes to get back that are irreplaceable and have sentimental value including the blue suit he wore at his wedding, a handmade cake topper from their wedding cake, a drawing he did that he gifted to his wife, Nicole, on their first anniversary, a signed copy of a book she gave him for their first Valentine's Day, and dishes his in-laws brought with them when they escaped Communist Poland in 1984.

Lange also is missing a 20-year-old computer that he kept upgrading is what he misses the most. 

"We never thought we would be one of the statistics, that this would be our welcome to California," Nicole Lange said. "Yeah, we're feeling pretty distraught and violated." 

Jeff Lange moved to the South Bay for a new job.  

"I was kind of following my dream," he said. "I went back to school when I was a little older to specifically get into this engineering job, and it doesn't exist in Canada." 

The couple is asking that anyone who sees the items they treasure, drop them off at the nearest police station and let them know it's a case being handled by Milpitas Police. No questions asked.
 
Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Email Amber at Amber.Lee@Fox.com or text/leave message at 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU,  Instagram @AmberKTVU  or Twitter @AmberKTVU.