FORT COLLINS, Colo. — They called their trailer a second home, but now, a Fort Collins family says that second home is gone after it was stolen from a storage facility a few weeks ago.
Kaleena Elfgren and Austin Kissell use camping as a way to escape from everyday life.
“It’s definitely a stress reliever. You get to spend quality time with each other,” said Elfgren.
They used to go all the time before their four-month old daughter came into the picture. But now, they don't know when the next trip will be because someone stole their trailer.
“I just like broke down crying,” said Elfgren.
The couple had their camper parked not far from their home at J-N-L Storage in Lot 12. They found the storage facility on Facebook Marketplace.
“We said yeah, this looks pretty secure from our last place. There was no gate, you just drove in. Nothing,” said Elfgren.
J-N-L Storage has a locked front gate that only lessees have access to, and inside the facility, the couple had the trailer locked up in a few spots to deter someone from taking it, which didn't work.
“The gate was cut to get into the facility. The tongue lock on the camper was cut with bolt cutters, and they hooked up to it and just ripped the tire lock apart with the weight of the camper,” said Kissell.
Inside the trailer was a four-wheeler, outdoor equipment, winter clothes and supplies for their dog.
The couple suspects it was stolen sometime after October 27, the last time they saw it there until they went back the first week of November. Nothing else was touched, the two told Denver7.
They reported the theft to the Larimer County Sheriff's Office, which told Denver7 investigators don't have any leads on a suspect or surveillance photos of the area. Investigators say there's never been a theft there before.
“I don't know if I was targeted, but feel like someone in that storage unit may have possession of it. No one story adds up,” said Kissell.
Denver7 also reached out to the owner of the facility, who said they've had renters in the facility for the past 10 years, and nothing like this has ever happened before.
The rental agreement the couple signed back in July says the lessor is not liable for theft. They’re offering this advice to others.
“Take pictures and log VIN numbers and stuff like that,” said Elfgren. “It's heartbreaking.”
The couple said someone else's camper is parked in their spot now, despite them still paying for it, but says the owner did tell them they will get reimbursed. Denver7 reached out to the owner on that, and has yet to hear back.