A 1965 Chevrolet Impala spent about a year at a California collision shop being repaired after a crash. Three days after receiving a fresh coat of paint, it disappeared through the shop’s locked gate.
Surveillance cameras at R&E Collision Center in La Puente captured a group of masked people breaking the lock, opening the gate, and rolling the classic Chevrolet out onto the street on Aug. 12.
The Impala was not simply another vehicle waiting for repairs. Shop owner Giovanni Robles told ABC7 that the car was worth an estimated $60,000 to $80,000 and also carried sentimental value for its owner.
After surviving a crash and spending roughly a year being put back together, the Impala was nearing the end of that process. It had been painted just three days earlier.
Almost Finished
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The freshly painted Impala had been left outside behind the collision center’s locked gate while its paint cured.
The surveillance footage shows several masked people arriving at the property. One works at the gate before the group gets it open and begins maneuvering the Impala out of the lot.
Getting through the gate was only part of the job. The group still had a classic Chevrolet that needed to be moved.
The footage shows them rolling the Impala onto the street and eventually using a two-wheel dolly to move it away.
Robles told ABC7 the group arrived in what he identified as a 2001-2005 Chevrolet Avalanche.
He also believes the people responsible had watched the shop before the theft.
“I believe they were patrolling the area for quite some time. I’m sure we were under surveillance,” Robles told the station.
No evidence made public so far establishes how long the group may have been watching the business, so that portion remains Robles’ assessment of what happened before the cameras recorded the theft.
A Long Stay
R&E Collision Center was hardly new to Robles, either.
“We’ve been here for about 20 years, 25 years. We’ve never had a case like this,” he told ABC7.
The shop’s Yelp reviews add a little context to those years. Customers have left numerous positive reviews describing experiences with collision repairs, paint work, insurance claims, and repeat visits to the business.
Some specifically mention Robles while describing their experiences with repairs.
That history makes the circumstances surrounding this particular car especially unfortunate. The Impala had already spent about a year at the shop after being damaged in a crash, only to be stolen as that work neared completion.
And a freshly restored classic is not necessarily easy to replace.
Beyond Robles’ estimated $60,000 to $80,000 value, he said the Impala held sentimental value for its owner.
Ten Days Later
By the time ABC7 reported on the theft on Aug. 23, the Impala had been missing for about 10 days.
That amount of time has Robles concerned that whoever has the car could change its appearance, potentially making the freshly painted Chevrolet harder to recognize.
The theft has also changed things at R&E Collision Center.
“We’re very scared right now. We don’t know if we might get hit again,” Robles told ABC7.
The shop houses other high-end classic vehicles, and Robles said he was responding by adding more surveillance cameras and considering hiring a security guard.
For now, the 1965 Impala remains missing.
Anyone with information about the theft or who may have seen the car is being asked to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.