Berkeley Police Arrest 2 Homeless Men Allegedly Running a Chop Shop in Oakland
BERKELEY, CA — Detectives investigating Honda vehicle thefts in Berkeley uncovered a chop
shop operation in Oakland, and two homeless suspects were arrested on July 23. More than
50 vehicles were found stripped for parts and some vehicles were set on fire.
Jesus R. Rodriguez, 47, and Manuel Tapia, 43 were booked at Berkeley City Jail, before
being transferred to Alameda County Santa Rita Jail. Rodriguez and Tapia were each booked
on suspicion of the following-
· Possession of stolen property
· Dismantling or tampering with a vehicle
· Operating a chop shop
In addition, Rodriguez was also arrested on an outstanding warrant for robbery, and assault
with a deadly weapon.
Several late-model Honda Accords and Civics were stolen one night in Berkeley, prompting a
major investigation. Using automated license plate readers, police tracked four stolen cars to
an industrial/railroad area, between 50th and 66th avenues in East Oakland.
Police maintained covert surveillance of the area overnight. The following morning, detectives
observed men loading vehicle engines into a pickup truck.
The Alameda County Regional Auto Theft Task Force shadowed the suspects to a second
location in East Oakland.
That’s where the chop shop was discovered. More than 50
stripped/burned vehicles were found, in addition to 25 other stolen Honda vehicles.
Berkeley police coordinated with the special task force, alongside the Oakland Police
Department, California Highway Patrol, and Union Pacific Police Department. Detectives
continue working to identify additional suspects associated with the chop shop.
– by Jim Emerson
