Chop shops busted in Santa Cruz County

Two people believed to be part of a chop shop business in Santa Cruz County are behind bars.

The Santa Cruz County Auto Theft task force served search warrants at two locations looking for vehicles being disassembled for sale.

One of the suspected chop shops was on Summit Rd. near Highway 17 and the other off of Calabasas Rd. in Watsonville.

” We discovered here at the one in Calabasas two suspects that we believe are involved in a chop shop. Also we found vehicles that we’ve been looking for, that we knew that were stolen.” said investigator Henry Montes.

Officers arrested Damien Tovar and Cara Vandagriff.

The task-force known as S.C.A.R.E. (Santa Cruz County Auto Theft Reductions and Enforcement Task Force) consists of multiple law enforcement agencies working together in the county.

On Monday, the California Highway Patrol, the Watsonville Police Department and the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office served a search warrant at a home on Silliman Road near Highway 129.

A car reported stolen Sunday was found on the property.

Jamie Ortiz, 49, was arrested for auto theft and possession of the stolen vehicle.