Connor Nelson’s California apartment break-in: What happened and what we know so far

On his return from a 10-month deployment aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, Navy sailor Connor Nelson discovered that his California apartment had been burglarized while he was away. His apartment, located in Lemoore, California, was found to be empty and his 1997 Toyota 4Runner was missing. Upon entering his apartment, Nelson noticed that his belongings had been thrown around and several valuable items were missing, including a snowboard, golf clubs, fishing equipment, a laptop, television, sound bar, shoes, and a hockey jersey.

Due to his lengthy deployment, Nelson is unsure when the burglary took place, but it is believed to have occurred sometime during his absence. His landlord reported that no one noticed anything unusual, and the SUV may have been missing for two or three months before Nelson returned to his apartment.

News of the burglary prompted Connor's father, Justin Nelson, a Navy veteran with 22 years of service, to travel from Minnesota to California to assist his son. Justin, who understands the emotional impact of returning home after a deployment, expressed disappointment that the homecoming was disrupted by the break-in. Connor had saved money during his deployment and had plans for how he would spend it upon his return, but now that money will need to be used for replacing stolen belongings.

Justin has initiated an online fundraiser, which has raised over $20,000 by September 25, helping to alleviate some of the financial burden on his son. Connor now faces the challenging task of determining when the burglary occurred and working to replace the stolen items.