LOS ANGELES, CA – Authorities are investigating the theft of a classic 1965 Chevrolet Impala from a La Puente body shop after three masked suspects allegedly forced their way onto the property and rolled the valuable car to a waiting pickup truck equipped with a tow dolly.
The theft happened during the early morning hours of Aug. 12 at a repair business on 9th Avenue, according to information provided by shop owner Giovanni Robles.
Surveillance footage showed three masked people entering the property at approximately 2:40 a.m.
The suspects then pushed the Impala out of the body shop’s parking area and began moving it down the street toward a waiting pickup truck.
Rather than starting the classic car and driving it away, the group used a tow dolly to transport it.
That method allowed the suspects to remove the vehicle without relying on the Impala’s ignition system or having to drive it under its own power.
Video showed the suspects spending several minutes maneuvering the car and securing it to the towing equipment before leaving the area.
Robles said the pickup truck appeared to be a 2001-2005 Chevrolet Avalanche.
He also believes another vehicle may have been involved in the getaway, although authorities have not publicly confirmed that detail.
The stolen Impala had already spent about a year at the body shop following significant collision damage.
Robles said the vehicle had required extensive repairs after its rear-left section was badly damaged.
The work had progressed substantially by the time it was stolen.
The car’s estimated value was between $50,000 and $80,000, according to Robles.
Another account of the vehicle’s restoration indicated the car had recently received fresh paint as the year-long repair process approached completion.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the theft.
La Puente is served by the Industry Sheriff’s Station, which provides law enforcement services to La Puente, the City of Industry, La Habra Heights and several surrounding unincorporated communities.
The Industry Station can be reached at 626-330-3322 and is located at 150 N. Hudson Avenue in the City of Industry.
Robles said he filed a report with LASD after discovering the vehicle had been taken.
No suspects have been publicly identified, and no arrests have been announced.
Authorities also have not said whether investigators obtained a license plate number for the pickup truck or the possible second getaway vehicle.
As of the latest information available, there was no indication the Impala had been recovered.
The surveillance footage provides investigators with a relatively detailed timeline of the theft.
The suspects appeared to arrive with equipment specifically capable of moving a vehicle that could not simply be driven away.
After gaining access to the shop property, they rolled the Impala onto the street and moved it toward the waiting tow setup.
The footage reportedly shows the suspects continuing to work around the vehicle until a semi-truck entered the area.
They then left shortly afterward.
Authorities have not said whether the semi-truck driver saw the suspects or whether investigators have contacted that driver as a potential witness.
The use of a tow dolly is particularly notable in a classic-car theft.
Older vehicles can have significant market value while lacking many of the electronic anti-theft systems commonly installed in newer vehicles.
But authorities have not said whether the suspects targeted the Impala specifically because of its age, condition or value.
Investigators also have not said whether the body shop had been watched or targeted in advance.
The deliberate arrival of multiple masked suspects with towing equipment could potentially suggest planning, but police have not publicly characterized the theft as organized or premeditated.
The Impala’s condition may make the vehicle somewhat distinctive.
Robles said it had been undergoing repairs for roughly a year after sustaining substantial collision damage, particularly around its rear-left body panel.
If additional bodywork remained incomplete, those characteristics could assist investigators or members of the public in recognizing the car.
At the same time, classic vehicles can be altered relatively quickly through repainting, replacement panels or removal of identifiable components.
Authorities have not said whether they believe the vehicle remains intact.
Classic cars can also present investigative challenges because parts themselves may have considerable resale value.
Police have not indicated whether they are investigating the possibility that the Impala could be dismantled or sold in pieces.
There is also no public indication that the vehicle has surfaced in an online sale, auction or other marketplace.
California law treats the theft of an automobile as grand theft auto, although prosecutors determine the exact charges based on the circumstances and evidence developed in a particular case.
No one has been charged in connection with the La Puente theft.
Historical LASD crime statistics illustrate that vehicle theft has been a recurring property-crime issue within the Industry Station jurisdiction.
For example, department statistics show 113 grand theft auto incidents in La Puente during 2022, compared with 159 the previous year. Those figures are older and do not describe current crime conditions, but they demonstrate that vehicle theft has long been among the property crimes handled by the station.
The same report recorded 434 total property crimes in La Puente during 2022.
Those statistics have no known connection to the theft of the 1965 Impala.
For Robles and the vehicle’s owner, however, the loss goes beyond a routine stolen-car case.
A classic vehicle that has undergone extensive collision repair represents not only its market value but months of labor, specialized parts and restoration work.
The theft occurred after the Impala had already spent approximately a year being repaired.
The car was reportedly nearing completion when it disappeared.
Robles said the incident has also raised concerns about security at the shop, particularly because the suspects were able to remove a valuable vehicle despite having to physically move it from the property.
Authorities have not disclosed whether the suspects cut a lock, damaged a gate or used another method to enter the business.
Investigators may review the shop’s surveillance footage alongside cameras from neighboring properties and traffic corridors in an attempt to track the pickup truck before or after the theft.
LASD has not publicly said whether such footage has been obtained.
The Industry Sheriff’s Station handles theft investigations and patrol operations throughout La Puente.
Residents who witness suspicious activity involving a stolen vehicle or who believe they have information connected to a crime can contact the station directly through the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
As of the latest available information, the 1965 Chevrolet Impala remained missing.
The identities of the three masked suspects are unknown, and the investigation is ongoing.
