RCMP dismantle Leduc ‘chop shop,’ recover nine stolen vehicles

An alleged chop shop south of Edmonton was dismantled by RCMP last week, with weapons, stolen vehicles and car parts seized on location. Four people were arrested.

RCMP in Leduc, Alta., say they uncovered a chop shop – an illegal business often linked to car theft rings – on a rural property in Leduc County.

Police say they seized nine stolen vehicles as part of the operation on April 1. They also seized weapons, a large quantity of ammunition, vehicle parts and several stolen license plates.

RCMP estimate the value of the seized and recovered property at $191,000.

A 30-year-old man from Wetaskiwin, Alta., was arrested on outstanding warrants out of Parkland and Wetaskiwin. He remains in police custody.

A 33-year-old man from Leduc County was arrested on outstanding warrants out of Leduc. A 29-year-old was arrested on outstanding warrants out of Edmonton. And a 43-year-old woman was also arrested. They have since been released.

All four are scheduled to appear in court this month.

Several charges were laid including possession of property obtained by crime, unauthorized possession of a weapon, and careless use of a firearm

“Property crime remains a priority for the Leduc RCMP and we will continue to dedicate resources who can collaborate with our partner agencies to target those individuals who cause the most harm to our communities,” said Ins. Jeff McBeth.

“We will continue to use intelligence-led policing to steer the direction of our Crime Reduction Unit to relentlessly target and arrest prolific offenders.”