Antique Dealer Devastated After U-Haul Theft in Long Beach

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A Long Beach antique dealer, Khobe DeLuca, had her U-Haul truck packed with about 130 antique pieces from the 1920s and 1930s stolen right in front of her home this week. The items, which were recently displayed at the LA Pottery Show, included rare paintings, furniture, and pottery that DeLuca estimates to be worth over $100,000. While the truck was later recovered, only about 20 pieces were able to be salvaged, leaving DeLuca devastated over the loss of the "irreplaceable" and historically significant collection.

Why it matters

The theft of DeLuca's antique collection highlights the vulnerability of small businesses and the challenges they face in protecting valuable inventory, especially when transporting items. The stolen pieces also represent a significant loss of California's architectural and decorative history, as many of the items were one-of-a-kind works from the early 20th century.

The details

Surveillance footage showed a minivan pulling up next to DeLuca's locked U-Haul truck, and within 90 seconds, a person got in and drove off with the entire inventory. DeLuca said someone at U-Haul told her that a pair of scissors and a screwdriver are all that's needed to steal their box trucks. While the truck was recovered the next day, only about 20 of the 130 pieces were able to be salvaged, leaving over 90 items still missing.

• On Tuesday at 10 a.m., DeLuca saw the U-Haul truck parked in front of her home.
• By 10:35 a.m. on Tuesday, the truck had been completely stolen.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The Long Beach Police Department is continuing its investigation into the theft, and DeLuca is asking the public to keep an eye out for the stolen antique pieces, which she says will be easily recognizable.