“After spending nearly a year away in service to our nation, this should have been a time of relief and welcome home,” the sailor’s father wrote on GoFundMe
Credit: gofundme
NEED TO KNOW
- Connor Nelson returned home from deployment on USS Abraham Lincoln to find his apartment burglarized
- The sailor’s SUV, TV, laptop and more were stolen from his California apartment during his nearly 10-month deployment
- “This is not the homecoming he deserves,” reads a GoFundMe created to recoup Connor’s losses
A sailor who was aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln returned home to find that burglars had ransacked his residence and stolen his vehicle.
Connor Nelson, one of the service members who recently returned from the record deployment after nearly 10 months at sea, arrived home to find almost every valuable item he owned — including his SUV — missing from his apartment in Lemoore, Calif., according to CBS News, KGNS-TV and a verified GoFundMe created to recoup the losses.
The Minnesota native told CBS News that he was “super excited” to be back from the historic deployment after the lengthy mission in the Middle East. After taking an Uber home from the airport, he noticed that his 1997 Toyota 4Runner was missing from its parking spot, but figured it may have been towed.
He then went to unlock the door to his California residence, but it just pushed “right open.” Connor headed inside to relax for the first time in months, only to find that the property had been burglarized.
Credit: gofundme
Along with his SUV, the sailor’s TV, laptop and several pairs of shoes were stolen, in addition to his fishing equipment, KGNS-TV and CBS News reported. “Several thousands of dollars worth of belongings were taken, and the apartment was left trashed,” reads the GoFundMe, which was created by Connor’s father Justin Nelson.
Justin, a Navy veteran himself, told CBS News, “I know what it means to come home…what that means to a sailor.”
“And it is such a bright spot in a young sailor’s life to come home and, you know, get that relaxation, see family, see friends, and just, you know, hey, you have the sense of accomplishment,” Connor’s father continued. “And that was kind of taken from him.”
“After spending nearly a year away in service to our nation, this should have been a time of relief and welcome home,” Justin echoed in the GoFundMe description. “Instead, Connor came back to discover that his vehicle had been stolen and his apartment had been broken into.”
Justin created the fundraiser to help his son replace the items that were stolen. As of Saturday, Sept. 26, it has raised over $38,000 of its $45,000 goal.
“Right now, the support from this fundraiser will help Connor begin replacing what was lost, get his apartment cleaned up, and cover a hotel stay while he waits for the landlords to change the locks and install security,” the GoFundMe states.
“This is not the homecoming he deserves,” the fundraiser says. “Connor has already sacrificed four years of life so far, including nearly a year in a combat zone, defending our country.”
Credit: Patrick M. Bonafede/U.S. Navy via Getty
As Connor readjusts to life on land and replaces his belongings, police are investigating the burglary, according to the GoFundMe.
The Lemoore Police Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Sept. 26.
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The USS Abraham Lincoln left the Navy’s base in San Diego in November and was relieved in the Middle East by the USS George Washington in August.
The ship left San Diego on Nov. 21, 2025, and was initially scheduled for a seven-month deployment, but had been at sea without a port stop for 280 days when it arrived in Thailand earlier in September for a “rest and relaxation” stop. The ship’s extended mission has drawn scrutiny, with reports alleging poor living conditions on the vessel, including food shortages, water contamination and broken toilets.
Additionally, eight sailors assigned to the ship’s carrier strike group made suicide attempts, a letter from acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao to New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand revealed in late September.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7.
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