Two suspected of operating chop shop with stolen Berkeley vehicles arrested

Two men suspected of operating a chop shop with cars that were stolen out of Berkeley have been arrested, police said Tuesday.

The arrests of the 47-year-old and 43-year-old happened July 23. The investigation started after several vehicles were stolen from Berkeley in one night.

In a statement, Berkeley police said the two men were arrested on suspicion possessing stolen property, dismantling or tampering with a vehicle and operating a chop shop. The older of the two also had an outstanding arrest warrant for robbery and assault with a deadly weapon, police said.

A break in the case came when officers followed an investigative lead to an area along the railroad tracks in East Oakland between 50th and 66th avenues. Police said that once there, the officers found four Hondas recently stolen out of Berkeley, all of them stripped of parts and with the engines removed or staged for pick-up.

Police said officers surveilled the location the next morning and observed an unspecified number of people loading the stolen engines into a pickup truck. An Alameda County Regional Auto Theft Taskforce crew then followed them to a second location in East Oakland.

Once there, the officers with help from Oakland police arrested the two men. The California Highway Patrol and Union Pacific Police Department also worked with Berkeley police on the investigation.

Automated License Plate Readers were instrumental in the investigation, along with other technological tools, police said.

“Technology played a critical role,” Berkeley police wrote in their statement, adding that the ALPR’s and other tools “were instrumental in helping officers identify leads and locate stolen vehicles. This case also demonstrates the value of strong partnerships and coordinated efforts among law enforcement agencies.”

Police said the investigation uncovered more than 50 vehicles stolen for their parts and an undisclosed number that were completely burned. More than 25 of the cars stolen out of Berkely were Honda sedans, and police said Honda Accord’s and Civic’s are the most frequently stolen cars out of their city. Police suggested using a steering-wheel lock and parking in a well-lit area or secured garage to help prevent it.