‘Hook’ Pulls in 75 : Police Sting Targets Demand for Stolen Auto Parts in Valley

A six-week campaign to stem auto theft in the San Fernando Valley netted 75 arrests--all of them at auto repair shops and dismantling yards described as “hot spots” for stolen parts, police said Monday.

Dubbed “Operation Hook,” the effort was aimed at cutting off the demand for stolen parts instead of concentrating only on their peddlers, who are usually drug addicts, Deputy Police Chief Mark A. Kroeker said during a press conference at a Van Nuys towing garage.

Kroeker said more than 22,000 auto thefts were reported in the Valley last year, a 15% increase over 1990. At the same time, he said, the police recovery rate for stolen cars had dropped to 60% from a previous 80% to 85%.

“We have a major problem that’s getting worse,” Kroeker said in explaining the need for “Operation Hook.” He added that similar efforts would continue.

During the operation, which began Jan. 8, undercover officers offered stolen parts for sale at 130 businesses. As a result, there were 33 felony and 42 misdemeanor arrests of shop owners, managers, mechanics and other employees.

No one at any of the businesses approached expressed disdain at being offered stolen auto parts, and no one bothered to phone police to report the offers and pass along leads such as the peddlers’ license plate numbers, said Officer Tim Langley, who participated in the stings.

“A lot of people said, ‘Next time, don’t tell me they’re stolen,’ ” Langley said.

Kroeker said the only time an auto repair shop phoned police was to complain about being unfairly targeted.

The shop had already been hit by undercover officers when a few days later a real peddler came by offering a $2,000 set of Mercedes-Benz tires for $25 each. Mistaking him for another undercover officer, the angry shop owner phoned police, who came and arrested the tire seller, Kroeker said.

Agents from the state Department of Motor Vehicles and Bureau of Automotive Repair also participated by conducting inspections at 168 businesses and issuing 97 warnings. Many of those shops were unable to show inspectors receipts for the parts they had in stock, repair bureau spokesman Bruce Colvin said.

Colvin said the Valley has the highest concentration of auto repair shops in the state--about 4,000--largely because of demand.

The Burbank and Simi Valley police departments assisted in “Operation Hook,” but the bulk of the arrests occurred in the city of Los Angeles.

The sites of the arrests included:

R & M Tire, 10963 San Fernando Road, Pacoima; Luna’s Muffler, 10671 San Fernando Road, Pacoima; Woodman Auto Body, 8856 1/2 Woodman Ave., Pacoima; Castaneda Tire, 12909 San Fernando Road, Pacoima, and Orient Auto Body, 7776 Foothill Blvd., Sun Valley.

More are Sevan Auto Center, 6050 Vineland St., North Hollywood; Charles’ International Auto Body, 11050 Burbank Blvd., North Hollywood; One Stop Auto Body, 8026 Lankershim Blvd., Sun Valley, and Mexicali Tire, 18640 Parthenia St., Northridge.

Others include Gary’s Auto Body, 1853 Eddy St., Northridge; Joe’s Auto Body, 18155 Parthenia St., Northridge; Northridge Auto Body, 18206 Parthenia St., Northridge; David’s Mercedes Service, 18393 Parthenia St., Northridge; All-Matic Trans and Brakes, 6723 Reseda Blvd., Reseda, and Super Tires & Brakes, 7400 Reseda Blvd., Reseda.