A 25-year-old man was arrested on Friday connected to a suspected “chop shop” where authorities found a $170,000 Corvette, records state.
Landon Wayne Swonke was charged with aggregate theft of at least $300,000. He is free from jail on a $25,000 bond.
According to court records, officers observed Swonke leave Stampede Diesel, an auto repair shop at 11354 W. Jones Road, in a stolen vehicle. He was taken into custody.
After obtaining a search warrant, officers entered and found six vehicles inside, three of which were stolen, records state.
The bust was a multi-agency operation involving the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and Homeland Security Investigations.
HCSO said nearly $500,000 in cars were recovered, including Dodge Chargers, a Cadillac Escalade, and a $170,000 Corvette.
Surveillance video from a neighboring business shared with ABC13 shows officers approaching the business with guns drawn and later driving the cars out of the garage.