MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Police said they put a chop shop out of business in the Nutbush area Tuesday and took seven people into custody.
Members of the Auto Theft Task Force said they got a tip about the operation at home in the 3400 block of Macon Road and observed several men working on cars in the front and the back of the house.
Officers said they ran the tag on a blue Mustang some of the men were working, and it came back belonging to a stolen Chevrolet Impala.
Task force members said they approached the house to talk to the individuals outside and saw several vehicles in states of disrepair in the back yard, multiple engines in an open garage area and throughout the property, multiple vehicle doors and parts throughout the yard belonging to several different types of vehicles, several tools and various indicators the property was being used as a chop shop.
Detectives said they also located a stolen blue Mustang that had been painted black. They said the car had been stripped of most of its parts. They also found a stolen Corvette stripped inside and out.
Police detained three people and charged four men. Erick Marquez was charged with theft of property and vandalism, Isaac Bolin was charged with theft of property and being a convicted felon in possession of a handgun. Cody Bass was charged with theft of property, unlawful possession of a weapon, vandalism, and violation of the chop shop law. Jorge Bayona was also charged with violation of the chop shop law, theft of property, vandalism, and being a convicted felon in possession of a gun.
Police said at least other men working on cars in the backyard were able to get away.
Jorge Bayon’s mother owns the house on Macon and had vehicles towed from the property Wednesday. She said her son’s ex-girlfriend and her friends had been staying at the house, and her son was at the wrong place at the wrong time.
“Finally, police came and took the stolen vehicles that were on the street, and they arrested everybody in the house,”‘ she said.
She said police have been there before, and she just wants to clean up and secure the house and possibly sell it.
“Police told me yesterday you have the right to clean because it’s your property, and they gave me numbers to call,” she said.
The four men arrested are scheduled to appear before a judge on Thursday. The three individuals detained by officers have not been charged.