Authorities in Harris County, Texas descended on three suspected car chop shops recently in an effort to put a crimp on demand for stolen vehicles. Anytime we see law enforcement make moves like this we applaud it because the car theft problem has become bad and affects everyone.
Lexus RC-F runs from Georgia police.
After an undercover operation, authorities were able to learn the location of the chop shops, which they say have ties to one of the drug cartels, reports local outlet Fox 26. Our understanding is many chop shops have such ties, so car theft is helping to fuel the international drug trade.
Drug cartels are also known for their human trafficking activities, maintaining small armies, and using violence to coerce anyone who stands in their way to comply or be eliminated.
When law enforcement agents from several organizations, including SWAT, descended on the three properties in the county, they were able to recover 14 stolen vehicles. They estimate those combined with all the parts recovered at the scenes have a value in excess of $1 million.
That undercover operation lasted for about six months, with investigators piecing together who’s who in the chop shops. On the day of the busts, they were able to take numerous suspects into custody. Only one tried to flee the scene but was still taken into custody.
We’re tired of people acting like car theft isn’t a serious issue. This is hardly the first time we’ve shown its ties to drug cartels, human trafficking, and other violent crimes. It’s not just kids stealing to feed their starving family.
And we all feel the pain of these thefts, even if our cars haven’t been stolen. They’ve helped fuel rising insurance rates, higher vehicle and parts costs, among many other societal problems. That’s why we hope this and other busts will help cool the red hot trend of car thefts which has been building for years.
Images via Harris County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook
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