Four Arrested In Suspected Chop Shop Bust

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. —

 

Four people are in jail right now for their possible connection to a chop shop in Orange County. Two of the men were arrested Thursday morning after barricading themselves inside a home.Concepcion Picart, 24 and Pedro Rivera, 23, walked out of a home near Narcoosee Road with their hands up Thursday morning when they realized the Orange County SWAT crews would eventually come in and get them. "Did you steal all that stuff?" Eyewitness News reporter Daralene Jones asked. "Don't say nothing," exclaimed one of the captives from the back of a police patrol unit.

 

AT THE SCENE: Four Arrested In Suspected Chop Shop Bust

 

Orange County investigators say the men were using a garage on Lake Underhill Road and Dean Road to operate part of an auto theft ring and chop shop they allegedly ran with Steven Rosario and Melvin Deleon, who were arrested Wednesday night. Orlando police auto theft investigators, along with Orange County investigators, raided a unit at the My Neighborhood Storage late Wednesday night because they suspected it was used to the store stolen car and motorcycle parts. Investigators found stolen ATVs, a pickup truck, a 9mm gun and car and motorcycle parts. Officers say they watched Rosario and Deleon chop up a motorcycle that belonged to Christopher Hughes before they went in. "I hear of people's bikes being stolen and they never see it again. I guess I was one of the lucky ones," Hughes said. The sales manager at Cycle Sports Center, Danny Ottofaro, said motorcycle theft is a big business and even Orange County investigators said they've had at least one reported stolen every day this year. "One bike, chopping it up could get them six, seven, $8,000?" Jones asked. "Yes," Ottofaro replied. Once the motorcycle is chopped up, the thief usually sells parts for dirt cheap on Craigslist or eBay to unknowing bikers looking for a deal. "Just the tank on this can be $600 to $900. When you've got a stolen one, guys will sell them for $150 to $200," Ottofaro said.

 

Investigators tell Eyewitness News that the two suspects arrested at the home Thursday morning had actually left the house and started driving toward Orlando International Airport because they knew that deputies had their helicopter in the air and it is difficult to get permission to enter that airspace. Investigators say that Rivera and Picart actually called someone to come pick them up at the airport so they could switch cars. It did not help as they were still arrested at their home. Deputies say there could be more arrests related to the case later Thursday.