Lehigh Valley
District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan and Allentown Police Chief Charles Roca announce an arrest in a chop shop investigation
Cesar Garcia-Martinez, DOB 1/1/1990, of Easton, is charged with two counts each of Owning, Operating, or Conducting a Chop Shop, a felony of the second degree; Disposition of Vehicle or Vehicle Part with Altered Vehicle Identification Number; and Receiving Stolen Property; both felonies of the third degree.
Garcia-Martinez was arraigned today before Magisterial District Judge Linda D. Vega and is in Lehigh County Jail under $75,000 bail. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1:45 p.m. Oct. 4.
This investigation included detectives from the Lehigh County Auto Theft and Insurance Fraud Task Force, Allentown Police Department, Bethlehem Police Department, and an agent with the National Insurance Crime Bureau. The investigation was also assisted by the PA Auto Theft Prevention Authority.
A total of 10 stolen vehicles were recovered in this operation.
Around 8:30 a.m. Sept. 18, 2024, the Lehigh County Auto Theft Task Force Unit was contacted by Allentown Police in regard to a stolen Honda Accord located by an officer in the area of N. 5th and Washington streets. The Allentown Police Officer used automated license plate reader technology to identify and confirm that the Honda had been reported stolen two days earlier from Elizabeth, New Jersey.
Detectives from the Task Force obtained a court order to place a mobile tracking device on the stolen Honda to track the car’s movements.
On Sept. 19, 2024, the stolen Honda was tracked to the Allentown Auto Works and Recycling located at 299 Cedar St. Garcia-Martinez is the owner of that business.
The shop is an auto repair and salvage yard. Upon executing a search warrant, the 10 stolen vehicles were located on the property. Each of the vehicles was in a different state of disassembly and chopped up into small carry-size pieces.
None of the vehicles had any title or paperwork and all were determined to have been stolen from various locations including New Jersey, New York City, Philadelphia and Cheltenham.
The case was investigated by Lehigh County Detective Michael Karavoulias and will be prosecuted by Chief Deputy District Attorney David J. Mussel, Supervisor of the Auto Theft and Insurance Fraud Task Forces.
As in every criminal case, the fact that an arrest has occurred or a complaint has been filed is merely an accusation; and the defendant, Cesar Garcia-Martinez, is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
