Brazoria County Sheriff's Office dismantles illegal chop shop in Alvin

My Texas Daily, By Mathew Richards, December 8, 2024

ALVIN, Texas — A 43-year-old Alvin man has been arrested for operating an illegal chop shop, resulting in the recovery of stolen vehicle components valued at over $300,000, according to the Brazoria County Sheriff's Office.

Investigators from the Brazoria County Sheriff's Office, part of the Gulf Coast Auto Crimes Task Force, arrested Christopher Knippers, age 43, of Alvin, Texas, for first-degree felony theft of property. The investigation began in May 2024, when the task force received information suggesting Knippers was running an illegal chop shop under the name "South East Diesel and Performance" at his residential property in Alvin.

A search warrant executed at the property led to the recovery of stolen vehicle components with an estimated value of $320,868.58. Additionally, investigators found multiple stolen vehicles with tampered or fictitious Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs), many reported stolen from various states. Knippers was indicted by the Brazoria County Grand Jury and booked into the Brazoria County Jail, held on a $75,000 bond.

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