SNOHOMISH — Police say they shut down a major “chop shop” near Snohomish on Tuesday
Officers serving a search warrant discovered roughly 40 cars on the property in the 16000 block of Highway 9.
Three men and three women – ages 31 to 50 – were arrested. All are under investigation for alleged property crimes.
“It is big,” Monroe Police Department spokeswoman Debbie Willis said Wednesday.
Monroe police developed leads after an Oct. 28 stolen vehicle arrest.
Given the suspected size of the operation and the location outside of city limits, Monroe requested assistance from the Washington State Patrol, Snohomish County Auto Theft Task Force and the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office.
Total value of recovered cars and parts so far is $57,340.
Detectives also seized a Geo Storm that incorporated various stolen parts from other vehicles.
“The criminals who steal vehicles and operate chop shops do not care about jurisdictional boundaries,” sheriff’s Lt. Brent Speyer said. “This is the type of cooperative effort that law enforcement agencies in this county are taking to attack the problem of auto theft.”
Speyer is commander for the county’s auto theft task force.
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