Missouri City police bust chop shop operation, discovering at least 10 stolen cars, officials say

MISSOURI CITY, Texas (KTRK) — Authorities say police officers busted a major automotive chop shop operation in Missouri City on Tuesday, discovering multiple stolen vehicles and parts.

According to the Missouri City Police Department, officers responded to a “suspicious vehicle call” at a local business on Tuesday at 12:04 p.m., where a neighbor reported that a box truck without license plates dropped off car parts.

Officers said they arrived at the scene and saw the box truck leaving the property located at 2105 Brown St. Authorities said that officers conducted a traffic stop on the truck, and the driver of the vehicle, Francisco Tivar Reyes, was arrested on a warrant for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and possession of stolen vehicle parts.

Officials said that patrol officers spoke with the business owner and asked about the recent delivery of car parts. Investigators said they did a check of a VIN number on a pickup truck on the property and confirmed that it was stolen.

A total of six vehicles on the property were confirmed to be stolen, according to officials. The owner of the business, Mohammed Fattoe, was arrested for possession of stolen property, police said.

Investigators said they returned to the site on Wednesday to resume the investigation. With the assistance of the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office, a search warrant was obtained, and the business property was searched for additional stolen property, investigators said, adding that a total of ten vehicles and vehicle parts were confirmed by multiple agencies.

SkyEye13 flew above the scene on Wednesday morning, capturing images of authorities investigating the property and the multiple vehicles and car parts.

Missouri City police said the investigation is still ongoing, with search warrants on the property being executed to identify additional stolen vehicles and parts.

Authorities added that multiple agencies are working together on the investigation, including the Houston Police Department, Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Department, Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office, National Insurance Crime Bureau, and the Texas Department of Public Safety.