A crackdown by the San Bernardino County Auto Theft Task Force (SANCATT) resulted in the recovery of six stolen vehicles and over 100 suspected stolen catalytic converters from a residence in Victorville, California. The inhabitants of the property, Jonathan De Jesus Ortega and Melissa Flores Reyes, were arrested on charges of possession of stolen vehicles and owning or operating a chop shop and booked into the High Desert Detention Center.
As outlined in a report yesterday, SANCATT is a joint task force involving multiple law enforcement agencies, including the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office, San Bernardino Police Department, California Highway Patrol, Department of Motor Vehicles, and the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
The remit includes the investigation of vehicle-related businesses for any auto theft violations, along with combating organized vehicle theft, auto theft rings, and chop shop operations.
