Exclusive:'Kick in gut' Leeds newlyweds speak of devastation after wedding gifts and almost £5,000 go missing from Uber
It should have been the happiest day of their life.
But these Leeds newlyweds are “devastated” after their wedding presents and an estimated £5,000 gifted for their honeymoon went missing.
Alex and Steph Hallas say the cards, gifts and a photo book signed by guests were placed in the boot of an Uber private hire vehicle that collected them from their wedding venue in north Leeds, where their wedding was held on Friday, October 24.
They say, after the vehicle dropped them and some of their guests off at The Bridge Inn in Wetherby, CCTV then shows the car driving off without the driver emptying the boot.
Police are investigating the incident as a theft while Uber have branded the incident “unacceptable.”
Mr Hallas said the couple had “the worst experience” discovering that the items were gone, and that subsequent calls to Uber and to the driver did not go through. The driver came back 24 hours later to say that he did not have the gifts, which the couple called “absolutely disgusting, disappointing behaviour”.
Mrs Hallas said, since then, the couple have been “running around in circles” trying to get to the bottom of what has happened.
The couple had been planning their big day for over three years after getting engaged in 2022 and said that the day itself was “fantastic”.
Mrs Hallas said: “After three years of planning to watch it all come together was the best feeling in the world. My husband was quite emotional. He was crying in the morning.”
She said, since realising the gifts were missing, they have spoken to staff at the wedding venue, who said that CCTV footage shows the gifts being put into the back of the Uber vehicle at around 11.30pm.
Mrs Hallas said staff at The Bridge Inn also checked CCTV, which showed the boot was not emptied when they were dropped off.
She said: “We’d all had a few drinks and I got in a friend’s Uber. One of the bar staff put the photo book and gifts in the boot. We were none the wiser the bag was in the boot.”
The couple had requested guests to gift them money so that they could plan a honeymoon trip to Mexico next year, which they say will now no longer go ahead.
Mrs Hallas said: “We are grateful we are now going to Fuerteventura but that is with the help of our families.”
However, they said they are the most devastated to have lost the photo book and cards, which are “sentimental in value”.
Mrs Hallas said: “It’s the memories of the wedding day. I can’t replace those pictures and messages. It was like a kick in the gut.”
An Uber spokesperson said: “What’s described is unacceptable and our specialist team are urgently investigating this matter. We stand ready to support the police with any investigation.”
A West Yorkshire police spokesperson said: “We are investigating a theft from a motor vehicle on 24 October on York Road, Wetherby around 11pm. Enquiries remain ongoing.”
A fundraiser has been set up by a friend of the couple, which you can view here.