car stolen, wanted to get these saved.
Major Chop Shop Ring Busted
Tuesday, Dec 8, 2009 @11:59pm CST
On Tuesday night, officers with the Utah Vehicle Enforcement Division and Insurance Fraud Division used search warrants to raid several storage units in West Jordan and Bountiful. Inside they found hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of stolen cars, motorcycles and even a trailer with a small tractor. Most were stolen from around the Salt Lake Valley. Police don’t have suspects under arrest yet, but say the arrests are imminent. One person of interest they are looking for is CodyYelsma, a man who they say has been in jail for stealing cars in the past.
Police say a ring of about six people is responsible for the thefts. Many of the vehicles were “chopped” or taken apart. Kent Jorgensen, Chief of the Utah Motor Vehicle Enforcement Division said, “Often times when you chop the cars you make more than the retail value by selling the part.” Jorgensen said most of the parts were sold on the internet.
The bust happened after the Insurance Fraud Division was looking into cases of what they refer to as “Owner give-ups”. This is a situation where a car owner can’t afford the car and pays the thief money to steal the car so the owner can then file an insurance claim. Armand Glick, who heads the Utah
Division of Insurance Fraud said that scenario is becoming more common. “Last year we had two to four cases. Now we’re getting two to four cases a week,” he said. He added said this type of crime raises insurance premiums for everyone.
On Tuesday night, at least two victims showed up at the storage units in West Jordan after police called them to report their vehicles were found. Thayne Christiansen was “ecstatic” to find his Honda Del Sol was still intact. He thought it was gone forever after it was stolen from his garage last night. He was near tears saying he’s worked on that car for years. But the news wasn’t so good for Richard Nelson. Police found his stolen motorcycle, but it was stripped. Only the frame and the wheels were left. “I haven’t cried in a while but if I did, this would be the night,” he said.
For more information contact the Utah Motor Vehicle Enforcement Division at (801)297-2600 Mon. - Thurs. 7a.m.-6p.m.