New KPD officer loses everything in the big move to Tri-Cities - NBC Right Now/KNDO/KNDU Tri-Cities, Yakima, WA |

KENNEWICK, WA - Kennewick Police Officer Tyler McMullen and his family are new to the Tri-Cities, but it turns out their road to getting here wasn't an easy one.

Reporter Kristina Shalhoup spoke with the McMullens today, and although you're used to hearing about officers chasing down bad guys who steal people's belongings, she found out that this story is the exact opposite.

Tyler, his wife Raigen, and their 8-month-old son Gunnar are brand new to the Tri-Cities. Today was Tyler's first day as a Kennewick Police Officer and he said it was great, which is good news considering the move they made from San Diego to Kennewick was not so great.

"Pretty much everything's gone," Tyler said. "It looks like a tornado hit it. All the boxes are slashed."

Halfway through the trip just outside of Stockton, California, the budget truck the McMullens were using for the move, the car that it was towing, and the truck that Tyler's dad was driving alongside him were all stolen.

"Everything was gone," Tyler said. "Truck, car, everything we own."

Tyler's wife, Raigen, had flown with their son up to the Tri-Cities while her husband and his father made the drive.

"So, I had to call her and wake her up and break the news to her," Tyler said.

And it certainly wasn't easy news to give, or to get.

"I was speechless...just didn't know...I didn't know what to think. I didn't know what to do," Raigen said.

But finally, here in Kennewick, things are starting to look up.

"Outreach from the community has been amazing, it's been so much more than we could ask for," said Raigen.

Some of that community is family...but others?

"Strangers that have no idea who we are," said Raigen.

"An off-duty officer took it upon herself to go out and search the neighborhood," said Tyler.

So despite what they planned to take to their new home, you can't ever prepare yourself for losing everything. However, the McMullens might still have their happy ending in their new home.

"We picked the right place just seeing by the community."

If you would like to help the McMullens, click here.