Cops look at possible chop shop operation



An informant said he was asked if he'd like to buy a stolen truck.
YOUNGSTOWN -- Three stripped vehicles -- two confirmed stolen -- were towed from the 1200 block of Wilson Avenue as police investigate the possibility of a chop shop operation.
The investigation began Tuesday when an informant told police that he was asked if he'd like to buy a stolen truck. The man declined the offer but followed the suspects to Wilson Avenue and saw a green 1998 Chevrolet pickup truck being stripped.
The man later took officers to the location, 1240 Wilson, described by police as an auto sales business.
Police entered through an open gate and confronted two men, identified in reports as persons of interest. The two gave police permission to inspect the buildings and vehicles in the lot.
What officers found
The green pickup's engine and transmission had been removed, as well as the vehicle identification number, from the dash, police said. The VIN and vehicle data sticker had also been removed from the driver's door.
Hidden VIN locations in the pickup may have to be obtained from General Motors in order to confirm the owner and determine if the vehicle was stolen, police said.
Officers also found a stripped tan 2002 Dodge pickup that had been reported stolen from Niles on Sept. 10.
Parked next to it and partially concealed by various body panels from several other vehicles was the shell of a silver Ford product, police found. It had been stripped of its engine, interior, doors and body panels.
A VIN was located and revealed that it was registered to a silver 2001 Lincoln Town Car reported stolen from Austintown on Dec. 22, 2003.
Police had the three vehicles and assorted parts towed and held for the auto theft division.
One of the two men told police the green Chevrolet pickup had been dropped off by a man he knows only as Brian, who wanted the engine pulled. The man said that Brian did not produce a title or plates for the vehicle.
The man said he has operated at the location for two years and wants to cooperate with the investigation.
He told officers that the Dodge pickup and Lincoln Town Car had been brought to his garage by a towing company operator with instructions to "store" the vehicles.

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