Nearly $600K in stolen vehicles recovered from suspected chop shop outside Chestermere

An RCMP investigation spurred by a tip regarding the possible location of a single stolen vehicle has led to the recovery of more than a dozen vehicles and trailers east of Calgary.

Calgary police notified RCMP on Dec. 2 that a Toyota 4Runner that had been stolen out of Calgary was believed to be on a rural property in Rocky View County near the Trans-Canada Highway outside Chestermere.

Members of the RCMP's southern Alberta crime reduction unit searched the property on Range Road 285 and unearthed a suspected chop shop operation. The following vehicles, with a combined estimated value of between $550,000 and $600,000, were recovered:

• 2022 Toyota 4Runner (stolen from Calgary);
• 2021 Ford F350 Platinum (stolen from Calgary);
• Three 2021 Ford F150 Lariats (all stolen from Calgary);
• 2020 Ford F150;
• 2015 Jeep Cherokee (stolen from Fort Saskatchewan);
• 2020 Dodge Ram eco diesel (stolen from Edmonton);
• 2019 Dodge Ram 2500 diesel (stolen from Calgary);
• 2018 Arctic Cat Havoc UTV (stolen from Calgary);
• 2014 Honda TRX500 ATV;
• 2014 Caterpillar skid steer (stolen from Calgary);
• 2018 Load Trail flat deck trailer;
• 2019 Rainbow trailer; and
• 2018 Chevrolet Silverado.

RCMP officials say two of the vehicles were beyond repair after being 'chopped,' while another of the pickup trucks had its vehicle identification numbers altered on both the door and the dash to match another vehicle of the same make and model. 

 

The majority of the recovered vehicles were found in excellent condition. Two of the recovered vehicles had been stolen from dealerships in Calgary during test drives.

 

As of Thursday morning, no charges have been laid in connection with the vehicle thefts and chop shop operation but the investigation continues.