For Jeremy Biane and Erin Coe, an initially warm welcome to San Francisco has turned into a nightmare. A week ago, thieves made off with their moving truck, which was parked in the Outer Sunset. It contained all of their belongings.
The couple, along with their 17-month-old son Austin, made the drive to SF from their former home, San Diego, on February 29th. Biane was starting a new job as a postdoctoral researcher in UCSF’s neuroscience department; Coe, a legal researcher, grew up in San Francisco, where her parents still reside.
Unable to move into UCSF housing at Mt. Sutro until March 7th, they decided to park the 16-foot Budget moving truck containing all their possessions near Coe’s parents' home, on Vicente between 25th and 26th Avenues.
The last time that they saw the truck was at 9pm on the evening of Friday, March 4th. It was parked right outside Coe’s parents’ home.
The next morning, the truck was gone.
“I’ve always felt really safe here,” Coe told us. “We were more worried about bothering the neighbors with this big truck. We’re just dumbfounded.”
Biane and Jim Coe, Erin’s father, filed a police report at Taraval Station. The pair also drove around the neighborhood, looking for the truck.
The family lost all of their furniture, kitchen items, and other belongings. One item of particular sentimental value was their baby book, documenting Austin’s first year. Biane also lost some family items from his mother, who passed away 10 years ago.
Jeremy Biane, Erin Coe, and their son Austin. (Photo: Courtesy of Jeremy Biane)
San Francisco has seen a dramatic increase in vehicle break-ins and thefts in recent years. According to the Chronicle, stolen vehicles increased by 13 percent from 2014 to 2015, while vehicle break-ins increased 34 percent.
Even by that standard, having an entire moving truck stolen is unusual. “The officer said that this was the first time he had heard about something like this,” said Biane.
While the robbery has put a damper on the excitement of the move, it has also brought the family closer to the local community, especially as Coe has a strong network of friends in San Francisco. They’ve seen what Biane called “an outpouring of generosity” from family and friends. Coe’s parents donated furniture, and another cousin donated a crib for Austin.
The robbery has also delayed their move into UCSF housing, and for the moment, they're continuing to stay with Coe’s parents. But the donations have helped the family regain their feet. “We’re almost at the point where we can move into the new place,” said Biane.
As of press time, the couple have yet to hear from Budget or the police. Hoodline reached out to the SFPD about the case, but we have yet to receive a response.
“We did think about people breaking into the truck,” said Biane. “But it never occurred to me that someone would steal the whole truck.”
The missing Budget truck has Oklahoma plates, license number 2RQ037. If you have any information on this crime, please contact Taraval Station’s anonymous tip line at (415) 242-9753.
