Fort Worth police locate chop shop at Northside home
FORT WORTH – Fort Worth Police officers say they have uncovered one of the largest metal theft operations in decades.
Investigators tell CBS News Texas they have recovered dozens of stolen vehicles and thousands of dollars worth of stolen property from a home in Fort Worth, adding that the items are connected to victims across North Texas and even out of state.
"I was devastated. I was mad," says the executive director of a local non-profit, Ruth Ann.
Ruth says it's been a year since she last saw her non-profit's mechanical bull and two bounce houses they used for events with families and kids in need. She says the items were stolen last May along with a $12,000 trailer.
"They didn't just steal from me they stole from those kids," Ruth Ann adds, "The kids were like where's the bull? Where are the bounce houses? It was devastating to have to tell them that somebody took them. "
However, Ruth Ann received a call last week that her bull and bounce houses had been found by Fort Worth police.
"I started sobbing. I couldn't believe it," she said.
FWPD investigators say the bull and bounce houses were among thousands of stolen items found at a home along NW 28th St. in Fort Worth. Police got a search warrant for a home after connecting the home to a previous auto and copper theft case a couple of weeks ago.
"It was a criminal enterprise," says Sgt. Anthony White, the leader of FWPD Metal Theft and Property Crimes Unit. "With the amount of property on the scene, it really took us a minute to just say where do we begin?"
Police say they found a total of 15 vehicles, including cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs. Other stolen items included two cargo trailers full of the stolen tools and construction equipment along with brand new stolen rims and tires, one car hauler a mechanical bull.
"When I heard about all the things, I thought, so many people were feeling the same way that I felt. It's a terrible feeling to just feel violated," Ruth Ann adds.
She says her trailer is still missing, but she is grateful to get some of her non-profit's items back still intact.
"It is very emotional to know that the hurt and the pain that I felt when they got taken away are now replaced because it's back in our hands again," says Ruth Ann.
Police say they haven't made any arrests but say they believe two or more suspects could be involved. "Sometimes you can't put someone in jail, but if we can recover a victim's stolen property, that's the goal --- that's the real win to see someone get their property back," Sgt. White adds.