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Whether you're buying your dream home or simplifying life as empty nesters, you'll face the challenging process of relocating all your possessions before you can truly settle into your new space.
The endless chores of packing delicate items, sorting belongings by room, and hauling bulky furniture can feel overwhelming. Even after everything is packed, the challenge of transporting it all to your new home remains, particularly if you lack access to a large vehicle or truck.
Fortunately, numerous rental truck companies and private moving services offer a wide range of solutions to ensure your items are transported safely and efficiently. Beyond the usual items like boxes, furniture, and moving blankets, this list highlights 10 unusual and shocking discoveries made inside U-Haul trucks.
10. A Snake Hidden in the Dashboard
Jason Lowery, an employee at Owen Ford in Jarratt, Virginia, likely expected September 26, 2014, to be a routine workday. However, he soon found himself dealing with an extraordinary situation that required a unique approach to customer service.
Two unidentified men were driving from New Hampshire to Florida in a U-Haul truck when they discovered an unexpected stowaway—a 5-foot (1.5-meter) snake. As the serpent emerged from the dashboard, they quickly pulled into the Ford dealership’s parking lot, with one of the men rushing inside to seek assistance.
Lowery immediately responded to the call for help. Upon reaching the truck, he found one of the travelers gripping part of the snake to prevent it from retreating into the dashboard. Despite efforts by Lowery and other dealership staff, they couldn’t remove the snake and eventually contacted Critter Control in Virginia Beach for professional assistance.
Fortunately, the operator, Lucky Streich, managed to remove the snake using ice. Once extracted from the dashboard, the snake was handed over to animal control. Experts speculated it was either a python or a boa.
9. Adult Toys, Jewelry, and Syringes
Harry Wolford served as the general manager for Brian’s Smog, Brake, and Tune in McKinleyville, California. In addition to providing smog checks and car repairs, their shop was also an authorized U-Haul rental location.
In June 2015, one of the U-Haul trucks was stolen. After nearly three months with no updates, Wolford had almost given up hope of its return. However, on September 9, 2015, he received a call from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office informing him that the truck had been found and requesting him to retrieve it. What Wolford discovered inside was beyond anything he could have anticipated.
The thieves had been using the truck as a living space, leaving it filled with jewelry, knives, syringes, a significant number of adult toys, bondage restraints, and various drug-related items. While the suspects were apprehended, Wolford faced the unfortunate task of cleaning up the repulsive aftermath they left behind.
8. A Body Concealed in Cardboard, Plastic Wrap, and Duct Tape
On January 8, 2020, employees at a U-Haul facility in Fullerton, California, encountered a chilling sight during a routine inventory check of a rental truck. The vehicle, initially rented in Anaheim, California, had been abandoned after the rental period ended and was later moved to Fullerton by a third party.
As the staff inspected the truck, they uncovered a body wrapped in layers of cardboard, plastic wrap, and duct tape inside the cargo area. The deceased was identified as 29-year-old Ashley Manning, who had traveled from Dallas, Texas, to Los Angeles, California, on November 13, 2019, and was subsequently reported missing by her family.
The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed Manning’s arrival at Los Angeles Airport and began analyzing security footage to identify potential suspects. They also reviewed the U-Haul rental records but withheld further details about the ongoing investigation.
Although Manning’s death was labeled as “suspicious” and investigated as a possible homicide, authorities did not release any official details about the circumstances surrounding her passing.
7. Exotic Animals
On June 13, 2022, a collection of exotic animals was found in a filthy, abandoned U-Haul truck in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The truck contained four coatimundis, two chinchillas, a rabbit, two rats, three quaker parrots, and three lovebirds, all of which had been callously left behind.
The animals were transported to the MSPCA’s adoption center in Boston for assessment. While most of the animals were made available for adoption, the coatimundis were excluded due to Massachusetts laws prohibiting their ownership. Plans were made to relocate them to a zoo or wildlife sanctuary equipped to care for their unique requirements.
The individual who rented the U-Haul was identified and is currently under investigation.
6. $250K Worth of Yeezy Sneakers
The Yeezy brand, a partnership between rapper Kanye West and Adidas, specializes in sneakers, apparel, and accessories. With prices ranging from $200 to $500 per pair, it’s no surprise that Yeezy generated $1.7 billion in sales in 2020 alone. Like any high-value product, these items are often targeted by thieves.
On March 26, 2022, a U-Haul truck carrying 1,100 pairs of Yeezy sneakers was stolen in Portland, Oregon. Fortunately, the Portland Police Department located the truck the next day and recovered the shoes, valued at over $250,000.
Rupert Cabrial Crosse, 26, was arrested and charged with aggravated theft and possession of a stolen vehicle. At the time of his arrest, Crosse was also facing unrelated charges involving prostitution and strangulation. However, on March 21, 2022, the district attorney filed a “no complaint” motion, meaning the charges would not proceed for now, though further investigation could lead to future charges.
5. Five Children
On August 2, 2017, city street workers Matthew Pearce and Nicholas Vealay stopped at a Speedway gas station in Elyria, Ohio, for a break. During their stop, they observed something unusual—six individuals entering the back of a U-Haul truck and being locked inside.
Pearce quickly approached the truck and demanded the driver, 55-year-old Brian Dekam, to step out and open the rear. Inside, he found five children, aged between 2 and 15, along with their babysitter, 25-year-old Jamie Adkins.
With temperatures soaring into the 90s, the children were visibly distressed, their faces red and drenched in sweat. The youngest, a two-year-old, was rushed to a local hospital for heat exhaustion and later transferred to a children’s hospital for advanced care. While the other children avoided serious harm, they were infested with bed bugs, lice, and ringworms.
Adkins claimed they were returning from a flea market. She had been caring for all the children except the 15-year-old for the past two weeks and hadn’t seen their mother during that time.
Adkins and Dekam faced one felony count and three misdemeanor counts of child endangerment. Adkins was later declared unfit to stand trial, while Dekam pleaded guilty and received a one-year community control sentence. The four youngest children were placed in foster care.
4. ATM Machines
On January 2, 2017, a resident in southeast Washington, D.C., contacted the police about an abandoned U-Haul truck obstructing parking garages. What initially seemed like a parking issue led to a far more significant discovery for law enforcement.
Upon arrival, officers found at least four ATM machines and a safe inside the truck. Authorities did not reveal if any cash was recovered from the machines. However, given that five ATMs had been stolen from a nearby county in the past month, an investigation was launched to determine if these were the same machines.
3. Santa Claus Selling Drugs
On December 19, 2016, customers at a Jacksonville, Florida, business reported suspicious drug-related activities to the sheriff’s department. When officers arrived, they encountered an unexpected and bizarre scene.
Isaac Geiger, 41, was seated in the driver’s seat of a U-Haul truck, dressed in a Santa Claus costume. Upon seeing the police, Geiger tried to escape on foot but stumbled over his Santa pants and fell. Despite resisting arrest, officers eventually managed to restrain and handcuff him.
Inside the U-Haul, authorities found marijuana, MDMA, ecstasy, weighing scales, and cash. Geiger was arrested and faced charges for possession of marijuana and methamphetamine with intent to distribute, as well as resisting arrest.
2. Stolen Dogs
Jon and Dana Williams, owners of Savage Cane Corsos, are renowned breeders based in Dayton, Texas, and collaborate with a kennel in Tennessee. They employ dog transporters to ensure their puppies are safely delivered to their new owners, no matter the location.
On August 1, 2022, 26-year-old Tiara Alsaid collected a puppy named Dolo, which was supposed to be transported from Tennessee to its new home in California. Since Alsaid had previously worked as a transporter for the kennel, the breeders trusted her with Dolo. However, Alsaid had different intentions for the puppy.
After two weeks with no updates from Alsaid and no sign of Dolo in California, the Williamsons grew concerned and turned to social media for answers. They soon discovered others had similar experiences with Alsaid failing to deliver their dogs. One individual in Florida even reported receiving a deceased dog from her.
In response, the Williamsons collaborated with local authorities to set up a sting operation to apprehend Alsaid. Before the plan could be executed, Alsaid was stopped for a traffic violation on August 30, 2022. Inside the stolen U-Haul, officers found four malnourished dogs, including Dolo, alongside 57-year-old Anthony Johnson.
Alsaid was arrested and charged with animal theft and cruelty, in addition to facing outstanding warrants for drug-related offenses. The Williamsons decided to care for Dolo until the new owner could retrieve him. Authorities also worked to reunite the other three dogs with their rightful owners.
1. 236 Pounds of Marijuana
Bergen County Police received an anonymous tip about 33-year-old Fernanda Young allegedly transporting large quantities of marijuana in a U-Haul truck through Carlstadt, New Jersey. On February 17, 2022, officers located the truck and conducted a search, uncovering 236 pounds (107 kilograms) of marijuana, as well as crystal meth and fentanyl inside.
Young was arrested on the spot and faced charges of first and third-degree drug possession with intent to distribute.
