WATSONVILLE—A Watsonville man was arrested early Monday morning for allegedly running a chop shop at a residence on Grant Street, California Highway Patrol officer Sam Courtney said.
Gustavo Chavez, 28, was charged with vehicle theft, running a motor vehicle chop shop and a probation violation. He was booked into Santa Cruz County Jail in lieu of $10,000 bail, jail records showed.
According to Courtney, Watsonville Police officers responded to an address on Grant Street over the past weekend when they saw evidence of a chop shop. WPD alerted the Santa Cruz County Auto Theft Task Force, which worked with WPD and CHP to conduct a probation search of a known suspect at the residence.
Investigators found several cars that were being dismantled, and identified two stolen Hondas, Courtney said.
