Chop Shop Busted, 10 Stolen Cars Recovered In Santa Cruz: CHP

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA — Ten stolen vehicles, including a stolen tow truck, were found and a man arrested, after an hours-long standoff, when law enforcement last week served a search warrant at a property in Santa Cruz County, according to officials.

Members of the Santa Cruz County Auto Theft Reductions and Enforcement team, known as the S.C.A.R.E. task force, served the warrant Friday at an address along Branciforte Drive, the California Highway Patrol, Santa Cruz division, said.

The suspect, only identified by officials as a 44-year-old man with a felony record, barricaded himself inside a stolen trailer on the property for "several" hours, finally surrendering after negotiations with the Santa Cruz Police Department SWAT team, the agency said .

A shotgun was recovered from inside the trailer, officiers said.

The S.C.A.R.E. task force is a led by the CHP with assistance from multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office, the Watsonville Police Department and the Santa Cruz County District Attorney’s Office.

"This is another great example of how multiple agencies working together in partnership can help bring cases to successful conclusions," the CHP said.

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