Police uncover alleged chop shop with stolen Hondas in North Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Police say they uncovered an alleged chop shop in North Philadelphia on Tuesday containing seven stolen Hondas that had been stripped down for parts.

Two people have been arrested, and authorities believe this may be part of a larger vehicle theft operation.

Police found the vehicles inside a garage near North 9th and West Ontario streets. The cars had been dismantled to the point that identifying them is difficult, according to investigators.

“This is 100% chop shop,” said Capt. Robert McKeever of the Philadelphia Police Department.

Investigators pointed to tools found at the site as evidence of the operation.

“These are the big hacksaws,” McKeever said.

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Police said one of the recovered vehicles had been stolen only days earlier.

“This car right here, this was stolen three days ago. And look what’s left,” McKeever said, pointing to the skeletal frame of what was once a vehicle.

All seven vehicles recovered at the garage were Hondas. Investigators have previously identified Hondas as frequent targets for theft because of their easily interchangeable parts.

The condition of the vehicles highlights how quickly thieves can dismantle a stolen car, police said.

“They can probably strip a car completely within 45 minutes,” McKeever said.

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Authorities served three warrants in connection with the investigation and made two arrests.

McKeever said investigators believe the operation may be connected to a larger stolen car ring and could be tied to a ring police dismantled in April.

“We feel confident that we got the two main guys and the other people are just gonna be part of the crew,” McKeever said.

Investigators are using serial numbers and airbags to help identify the stolen vehicles. Police are also working to determine where the stolen parts were being distributed.

“We believe a lot of them are being shipped over to the Dominican Republic,” McKeever said.

Other parts may end up in vehicles sold online, investigators said.

“Some people will buy a car on Facebook Marketplace and the car is welded together, and you don’t want to buy a car that’s welded together by a person who has no idea what they’re doing,” McKeever said.

Police said additional arrests may follow as the investigation continues.

“There’s still gonna be more arrests made. We’ve got to do more investigation on it,” McKeever said.

The garage where the vehicles were found is zoned for a legitimate mechanic shop, according to police. However, investigators believe the owner has been leasing the space to different occupants.

Authorities said all parts recovered from the garage will be confiscated as investigators work to identify the stolen vehicles. It’s a process police expect to be challenging given the extent to which the cars were dismantled.

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