‘I just want to find my memories’: Loris woman’s cherished memories taken after trailer stolen

LORIS, S.C. (WMBF) - The treasured memories of one Loris family are now possibly gone forever.

Neighbors throughout that community are now on high alert after a rash of thefts hit close to home. Several said they are now missing trailers that were taken off of their properties.

While those items can be replaced, Danielle Callahan, a Loris resident, explained how some of the items inside cannot.

“I’m trying to just find my memories,” she said.

Those memories are what Callahan may not ever get back.

Callahan lives along Highway 701 and said her 16x8 trailer was locked and tucked away on the side of her shed. However, it vanished while she waited out Tropical Storm Idalia.

Her precious mementos are also gone.

“I lost my dad in 2015, and stuff from his childhood is in there,” said Callahan. “The biggest thing is there’s a turnout jacket from when he worked as an EMT, Deputy Director of EMS in New York City.”

A Horry County Police report showed the trailer’s contents included an Ikon XD riding lawn mower, and memories spanning generations.

Callahan said those items she can’t ever replace as they were her family’s legacy.

“I became an EMT at 15 just like him, I got my nursing license at 22,” she said. “So I’m back in nursing school to get my RN now because of it, so when I say that there’s a lot attached to those items it’s not just an item that I remember my dad, it’s my entire life story.”

Zach Hodgdon, another Loris neighbor, lives just minutes away along Highway 348 and is also now missing a trailer.

To make matters worse, Hodgdon said he relies on his now missing lawn equipment that was inside, he’s now out thousands of dollars.

“I feel like the world’s just messed up nowadays,” he said. “You shouldn’t have to lock everything up, you shouldn’t have to worry about, ‘Is that person going to mess with it is this person going to mess with it.”

City Officials are now urging you to not only speak up if you know anything about these thefts but to also find other ways to secure your valuables.

“Many people know that community well,” said Loris Police Chief Gary Buley. “If you see anything suspicious like people driving around or slowing down report it. That could be the person coming back later to take it, but definitely chain them up, and keep them locked up.”

Both residents said they’ve not only filed police reports but have also shared their missing items across social media.

As they are hopeful for the return of their prized possessions and personal property, they want to warn others throughout their community. “The only thing you can do now is hope and pray that somebody sees something,” said Hodgdon.

“It’s more than just if they try to sell it if they want to keep it for themselves, they get pulled over, the police officer can look at it, they can match VIN numbers, they can match serial numbers, that’s why I want to urge everybody to make those reports,” said Callahan.

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