19 stolen cars found in Phoenix chop shop bust; salvage yard owner arrested

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) -- A chop shop investigation ended with the owner of a Phoenix salvage yard in custody, the Arizona Department of Public Safety said. On Tuesday, detectives with the DPS Vehicle Theft Task Force were doing salvage yard inspections checking for stolen cars that may have ended up in chop shops near 43rd Avenue and Broadway Road. Detectives checked 12 businesses including 2,150 vehicles and motors, and discovered 19 were stolen.

Investigators said 36-year-old Mohammad Moe Lathgani, the owner of 1st Choice Auto Parts #2, was arrested. He was booked on one count of chop shop operations, four counts of theft and one count of possession of dangerous drugs.

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