Granada Hills homeowner raises funds to replace tools stolen from deaf construction crew

A theft in Granada Hills on Oct. 22 has disrupted work for a small construction firm and led a local homeowner to launch a financial recovery plan. Jan Menapace started a GoFundMe campaign on Monday with a goal of $5,000 to replace the power tools taken from Neverless Construction. The campaign has raised nearly $4,000 so far, covering the majority of the estimated cost for the missing equipment.

The stolen items included a nail gun, a leaf blower, and eight batteries. Menapace hired the crew to patch a leak and repair water damage in her kitchen following recent storms in Southern California. While the three workers were inside the home, two thieves arrived in a silver, four-door BMW. Ring camera footage shows one of the men exiting the vehicle, rushing to the garage, and carrying the crate of tools and the blower back to the car before it reversed out of the driveway.

The vehicle, which had a red "Supreme" sticker on the fuel door, was captured in a nearly minute-long video. Menapace shared the footage with The Los Angeles Times in hopes that residents would recognize the car or the driver. She did not file a police report immediately, citing uncertainty about whether authorities could take immediate action, but she is waiting for potential leads from the public.

Michael Litberg, the owner of Neverless Construction, stated that the crew was exhausted from working in the rain when the theft occurred. He described the initial reaction as disheartening but noted that the public response has boosted morale. "It’s picking up my spirits again," Litberg said. "I almost want to cry." Bert Horvath, a crew member, also expressed that the support from the community has motivated him to move past the incident.

Litberg contacted friends the same day to borrow replacement tools so the work could continue. The crew worked until 7:30 p.m. that evening. Menapace ordered a pizza for the group, and the crew ate together in the driveway. The moment was also recorded on the home's security camera.

Litberg signed to his workers during the meal, telling them, "Today’s a bad day, but as long as we stay positive, keep going. All you can do is do the best we can. We stay safe, stay healthy, this too shall pass." The group embraced in a hug before returning to the job site. Litberg added, "We’re OK. We will come out on top."

Menapace noted that Litberg had previously worked in sales before launching his construction company. She observed that his calm demeanor helps stabilize the team during stressful events. The crew continues to work on the kitchen repairs while the fundraising campaign remains open to cover the full cost of the new equipment.