It took years of legislative efforts, but finally someone is being held criminally responsible for allegedly operating a chop shop in the Metro.
In March, lawmakers passed legislation making it a third-degree felony to run an operation that strips and dismantles stolen vehicles as part of a bipartisan crime package. Last week, Albuquerque Police Department auto theft detectives arrested a 48-year-old man they say was operating a chop shop near the Albuquerque International Sunport. They became suspicious after seeing a woman walk the lot wheeling a dolly with sawed-off catalytic converters.
APD Chief Harold Medina says 12 stolen vehicles and three engines from stolen vehicles were in the fenced-in lot near University and Sunport. Seven of the vehicles had been stolen in the past six weeks.
Lebardo Rascon-Olivas was booked into the county jail on seven counts of receiving or transferring stolen motor vehicles — a fourth-degree felony on first offense punishable by up to 18 months in prison — and receiving or possessing stolen property and tampering with evidence — both of which can be petty misdemeanors punishable by up to six months in jail. He is also charged with running a chop shop, an automatic third-degree felony punishable by up to three years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
Medina says 10% to 15% of the thousands of vehicles stolen here each year have not been recovered. Police assume they’ve been sold off in parts.
Rep. Marian Matthews, who sponsored the omnibus crime bill along with fellow Albuquerque Democrat Meredith Dixon, hopes the chop bust will deter crime and reduce the amount of auto thefts. So do the tens of thousands of honest folks who have had their vehicles stolen in Albuquerque in recent years.
This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.
