4 charged with operating chop shop

NORWALK - A Norwalk man was among four people arrested last week and charged with operating a chop shop in Los Angeles, authorities announced Tuesday.Sheriff's deputies from the Taskforce for Regional Autotheft Prevention (TRAP) conducted a probation compliance check June 20 at the 300 block of W. 51st St. in Los Angeles when they saw several men in the backyard dismantling a 2001 Acura Integra. Two of the men fled inside the house but were later found hiding inside. The Acura was discovered to have been stolen from the Cal State Long Beach campus earlier in the day. The owner hadn't realized his car was stolen until he was contacted by law enforcement. Detectives also located components belonging to a 2006 Acura RSX stolen from the Cal State Fullerton campus on June 19. Detectives arrested a resident of the home, Rashad Criss, 30, and charged three others for operating the chop shop: Bryan Agustin, 27, of Norwalk; Joshua Gonzalez, 29, of Los Angeles; and Richard Lopez, 22, of Stanton.

********** Published: June 28, 2012 - Volume 11 - Issue 11