Two men have been charged after police discovered a suspected vehicle ‘chop shop’ near Halesworth.
Officers located the site at a unit on Walpole Road, after reports from members of the public that a stolen vehicle had been seen there.
Further investigation revealed around 13 high-value vehicles that had been dismantled and prepared for distribution.
The term ‘chop shop’ is used to describe a location where stolen vehicles are taken apart for parts, which are often sold or shipped elsewhere.
Following the discovery, officers from the Sentinel West Team later stopped a vehicle on the A12, finding parts believed to have come from a stolen Audi reported missing in Leicestershire. The two men inside the vehicle were arrested at the scene.
Mangirdas Mitkus, aged 24, and Almantas Dapkus, aged 18, both of no fixed abode, were subsequently charged with handling stolen goods.
They appeared at Ipswich Magistrates’ Court on 11th October and are next due to appear at Ipswich Crown Court on 7th November.
Police have thanked members of the public for their information, which helped officers uncover the site and prevent further stolen vehicles from being dismantled.
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