‘Chop shop’ near Stansted Airport: Two arrested as police find stolen vehicles and parts worth £400,000
Police looking for a missing Mercedes uncovered other stolen vehicles and parts worth £400,000 at a ‘chop shop’ near Stansted Airport.
Essex Police received information from the Metropolitan police about a recently stolen Mercedes GLC potentially being tracked to the Uttlesford area on Monday December 9. A search in the district located the vehicle within an enclosed yard.
Officers from Essex’s stolen vehicle intelligence unit then spent three days sifting through an adjoining unit’s contents. They identified a further 17 stolen high-value vehicles including Mercedes, Volvo and Porsche. The retail value of the insured losses was in excess of £400,000.
Enquiries by the same officers, experienced in identifying stolen cars and parts, found evidence to link the property to recent thefts from other force areas – London, Kent, Hampshire and Surrey as well as Essex.
Two men from Romford, aged 35 and 38, have been arrested on suspicion of theft of vehicles and handling stolen goods. They have been released on police bail until March 1 next year while police enquiries continue.
Detective Chief Inspector Rob Huddleston said: “This type of premise, known as a chop shop, has without doubt links to wider organised crime groups who use similar premises to move stolen vehicle parts across the county and further afield for their own gain. We target these types of venues on a weekly basis in Essex.
“Theft of motor vehicles is a force priority and we will continue to do all we can to tackle those involved in organised vehicle theft, to protect our communities from the devastating effect such a theft can have on their daily lives.”