Three arrested after suspected 'chop shop' discovered in Sheffield
Police made the discovery on an industrial estate in the Middlewood area earlier this week
Three men are being questioned on suspicion of theft after the discovery of an alleged 'chop shop' in Sheffield.
Police were called to reports of a stolen Land Rover being sighted on an industrial estate in the Middlewood area at around 7pm on Wednesday (May 7).
Four men were found at the scene stripping parts from the vehicle, allegedly to sell.
Three, aged 61, 30 and 37 were arrested while a fourth man managed to avoid being detained and is being searched for.
All suspects have been released on bail as investigations continue.
Detective Sergeant Thomas Jordan, of South Yorkshire Police, said:
"So-called chop shops form part of much wider organised criminality and often involve cars being stolen on order to be stripped of their parts and sold on for cash.
"We know there is a direct link between this organised criminality and burglaries, and that is why we are appealing for information to help us shut down this harmful trade in Sheffield and across South Yorkshire.
"Young people are often exploited and promised cash if they provide stolen vehicles to units for them to dismantle and sell on, and we know this cross-border offending takes place across the county.
"Our message is clear. If you think something isn't right, report it to us or completely anonymously to Crimestoppers. Things to look out for could be someone asking you to do some work on a vehicle 'on the cheap', or an unusually high number of vehicles coming and going from a unit.
"We need your information to act as this helps us build up a picture of offending patterns and gives us the power to look into reports in more detail."