Deaf construction crew loses tools to thieves in Granada Hills

Two thieves pulled into a Granada Hills driveway on October 22 and stole a crate of power tools belonging to a deaf construction crew. The crew was inside a home repairing storm damage when the vehicle arrived. The theft left the workers without essential equipment for their ongoing project.

Jan Menapace hired Neverless Construction to patch a leak and repair water damage in her kitchen. The company is owned by Michael Litberg, who is also deaf. The crew was working in the rain during last week's storms in Southern California when the theft occurred. The stolen items included a nail gun, eight batteries, and a leaf blower.

Menapace reviewed footage from a Ring camera that captured the incident. The video shows a silver, four-door BMW sedan entering the driveway. A red sticker with the word Supreme is visible on what appears to be the fuel door. A man wearing gray sweatpants, white socks, and black sandals exited the passenger side. He rushed to the garage, grabbed the crate of tools and the blower, and returned to the car. The vehicle then reversed and left the scene. The theft was first reported by KTLA.

Menapace said she did not report the theft to the Los Angeles Police Department immediately because she was unsure if they could take action right away. She shared the video with The Los Angeles Times hoping someone would recognize the vehicle or the suspect. The footage is nearly one minute long.

One of the workers noticed the missing crate while going to collect a tool. Menapace observed the crew communicating in sign language as they looked around. Litberg informed her that the tools were gone. The crew had already been exhausted from working in the downpour and holding umbrellas to stay dry.

Menapace launched a GoFundMe campaign on Monday with a goal of raising $5,000. The campaign aims to help the crew replace the stolen equipment. The fundraising page states that losing the tools created a serious setback for the crew, which was in the middle of important repair work. As of the report, the campaign had raised nearly $4,000.

Litberg said the theft was disheartening, but the public support helped lift the crew's spirits. He said the generosity made him feel like he wanted to cry. Bert Horvath, a crew member, said in sign language that he felt low initially but was inspired by the community's response.

After the theft, Litberg called friends to borrow tools. The crew worked until 7:30 p.m. that day to continue the repairs. Menapace ordered pizza for the group. They ate in the driveway next to a yellow pizza box. Litberg spoke to his workers, telling them that as long as they stayed positive and kept going, they would come out on top. The crew then embraced in a group hug, which was also captured on the Ring camera.

Litberg launched his construction company after being let go from a sales job at a roofing company in April. Menapace has been in a dispute with that company's insurer over roof leaks. She noted that Litberg maintained a calm attitude during the theft and that his positive outlook helped the group move past the incident.