PARKLAND, FLA. (WSVN) - A moving truck filled with a Parkland family’s belongings has been found after thieves stole it from the moving company’s parking lot in Delray Beach.
7News cameras captured the rented truck on Saturday, still filled with the Blanchettes’ belongings, as Jason Crossen with Established Moving and Storage examined the contents inside.
“This is exactly how it was when it left your house,” he told new homeowners Michael and Rhonda Blanchette.
The couple said they are grateful.
“Just fantastic. I was praying all night that this would happen,” said Michael. “It’s been a very emotional, emotional, trying period for me.”
“I think Established is a good company. I don’t think the owners slept at all last night, and I think he made it his mission to find our belongings,” said Rhonda.
A woman who identified herself as Elsa said she spotted the missing truck while driving to the supermarket in Southwest Miami-Dade.
When she saw the truck, she said, she remembered the 7News story she had watched about the theft on Friday.
“I always watch Channel 7 News, and I’m driving by, I see this truck, and I go, ‘Hmm, I think it’s the same company. Let me double check,'” she said, “and immediately, when I got my phone, I said, ‘This is it.'”
Elsa called police and the number on the side of the truck.
“She got me, stayed on the phone with me until the police arrived, confirmed that the customers’ shipment was in the truck,” said Crossen. “It was just fortunate.”
Elsa said she wanted to share how the Blanchettes’ story affected her and how noticing something out of the ordinary on her way to the grocery store will bring welcome relief to some strangers.
“This family just bought their new home, and then, all of a sudden, their belongings are stolen, and they have nothing, nothing at all,” said Elsa, “so, definitely, it touched my heart.”
The Blanchettes were hoping to celebrate the purchase of their new home in Parkland.
Michael spoke with 7News on Friday.
“We’ve been working very hard, ever since we’ve been married, almost nine years ago, to try to get the house of our dreams, and we’d finally accomplished that,” he said.
The family’s belongings were packed inside a moving truck that was stolen by a thief on Thursday night.
Surveillance video from Established Moving showed the thief inside the cab of the truck.
“They called us this morning and told us that our stuff was stolen,” said Michael as he fought back tears.
The Blanchettes closed on their new house on Thursday, but the closing was delayed a few hours, and since they lived in Pompano Beach, they told the movers to deliver the truck Friday morning.
But sometime overnight, at the company’s Delray Beach facility, someone got inside the truck’s cab.
Moments later, the subject was seen inside the cab, a car pulled up, and both vehicles drove off the open lot.
“We have no clothes, no nothing, no furniture, nothing. All our toys were stolen,” said Michael. “I had a little sports collection that I’d been saving since I was a little kid. I was going to give it to my daughter, and it’s gone.”
But now, thanks to Elsa, the Blanchettes received the best housewarming gift possible.
“I saw some of the toys were there, some bikes, furniture, and a lot of boxes are still in there, so definitely, I hope that most of the things are in there,” said Elsa.
“This being on the news really helped me get my stuff back,” said Michael, “’cause actually, somebody watching the news called in and found the truck, so I want to thank them and I want to thank WSVN, thank everyone for all their help.”
Crossen said he will not charge the Blanchettes for the move. He added that the truck had sustained some damage.
Fortunately, everyone thinks the load itself seems to be intact.
Delray Beach Police continue to investigate the theft.
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