BOULDER, Colo. -- A Boulder family hired 1st Choice Moving and Storage and literally put their life in the company's hands.

The Chadbones needed help fast during a family emergency and researched what they thought was a local company to move their items to storage. When they returned to reclaim their life's possessions, 1st Choice Moving and Storage could not find them.

"This is our universal table -- the ironing board," said Steven Chadbone.

He said his family has learned to make do.

"We had a baby seat in there, which my first born was in, then my second born was in. We had clothes. We had little keepsakes. We had things that you just can't replace. It's not a money issue," Chadbone said.

The family has their memories, but entrusted all their possessions to 1st Choice Moving and Storage.

"What have you lost sweetie? Hmm? Puzzles? She loves jigsaw puzzles and she's had two of her favorite puzzles in there," Chadbone said, speaking to his young daughter.

Now, all of it is gone.

"Literally they go, 'Sorry we can't find it,'" he said.

The ordeal began when tragedy struck the Chadbone family. They were forced to drop everything and leave the country.

"We went home to Australia. My father died. My wife's father died," Chadbone recalled.

Chadbone had to act fast. He said he researched local moving companies online and found 1st Choice Moving and Storage, whose Web site said they have a "service location based in Colorado," and hired them.

Chadbone did not buy the additional insurance they offered.

"We were there (in Australia) for a little while. Nine months, we paid for storage. We received an invoice each month," he said.

The friendly staff was appealing to Chadbone, but he said what really hooked him was the promise online of "climate control" and a "fully automated location finder" at their "state-of-the-art storage center."

When the family returned to Denver this spring to reclaim their possessions they were met with weeks of delays and empty promises.

"He gave me a long winded story but through that story somewhere he popped in the fact that they couldn't quite put their hand on our furniture. So I said, 'Sorry. What are you saying there?' And he said, 'We can't locate your furniture but as soon as we do, it will be delivered,'" Chadbone said.

The Call7 Investigators checked and found out 1st Choice does not have a license with the Public Utilities Commission, which is required for moving items within Colorado and they never have had the license.

By the company's own admission in an e-mail sent to Chadbone, they broke the law. That is because in the e-mail, 1st Choice sales manager Al Lev said Chadbone's "items were originally stored at 9600 E. Costilla Rd., Englewood, #513."

Call7 Investigator Theresa Marchetta learned that, according to the PUC, that qualifies as an "in-state" move.

The Costilla Road address is the same one the Call7 Investigators were given when we called 1st Choice at its Denver number to ask for the Colorado "service location" it touts on its Web site.

"It's actually Englewood. It's 9600 East Costilla Road, Englewood," the 1st Choice operator told Marchetta.

"And that's your local address?" Marchetta clarified.

"Uh huh," the 1st Choice employee responded.

The Call7 Investigators drove to Englewood address and found it is actually a Public Storage Facility, not the climate controlled unit Chadbone said he was promised.

Public Storage told the Call7 Investigators they have no relationship with 1st Choice other than as a customer. That is because Public Storage said 1st Choice had been renting a space at the location, but recently vacated it.

Chadbone was told his items were taken from the storage unit in Englewood, then trucked to 1st Choice in Phoenix, Ariz.

The Call7 Investigators went looking for answers again, sending cameras to 1st Choice headquarters in Phoenix. The crew asked for someone to come out and answer questions. They waited for more than a half-hour outside, but no one ever came.

1st Choice did issue a statement in regards to Chadbone's complaints and that of another out of state customer saying, "To date (Chadbone's) shipment is missing and yes, to date, we have no logical explanation. Chadbone is entitled to all monies he paid and 0.60 cents per pound for his entire shipment."

Read the full statement here.

The total compensation Chadbone was offered, $800 for the lost goods, is just a fraction of the $13,000 or more he said his life's possessions are worth.

"Sixty-cents a pound. I may as well start a business myself. Come pick up your stuff, take it straight to the flea market, pay your 60-cents per pound. I'm making a heck of a killing on that," said Chadbone.

The Call7 Investigators checked and found 1st Choice does have a license with the Federal Motor Carriers Association. They have also logged 46 complaints.

In Colorado, 1st Choice could face penalties for making an in-state move without a license, but the PUC told Marchetta it will not likely pursue any action.

In Arizona, the Better Business Bureau has suspended 1st Choice from its membership.

The PUC recommends people who are moving get at least three quotes and references before deciding on a mover and consider buying the additional insurance offered.

For more information on protecting yourself during a move visit the Department of Regulatory Agencies' Web site.