In motor vehicle theft, a chop shop is a location or business which disassembles stolen automobiles for the purpose of selling them as parts.
Stolen cars are sold in foreign countries for several reasons. In underdeveloped countries, there are often fewer rules and less enforcement of laws pertaining to plates and title paperwork, so the car is less likely to be noticed. Criminals are also hopeful that there is little incentive on the part of the victim to search in other countries, as even if the car is found, recovery may cost more (in detective, legal, and transportation fees) than the car is actually worth. This is especially true if the stolen car is of lesser value.
Read more about Chop Shop: Difficulties Stealing Certain Cars, Operation, Example Statistics
Famous quotes containing the words chop and/or shop:
“And would you be a poet
Before you’ve been to school?
Ah, well! I hardly thought you
So absolute a fool.
First learn to be spasmodic—
A very simple rule.
For first you write a sentence,
And then you chop it small;
Then mix the bits, and sort them out
Just as they chance to fall:
The order of the phrases makes
No difference at all.”
—Lewis Carroll [Charles Lutwidge Dodgson] (1832–1898)
“Griff: If I let you set up shop in this neighborhood, the people would chop me like a ripe banana.
Kelly: Then why’d you buy my merchandise?
Griff: I ... I was thirsty!”
—Samuel Fuller (b. 1911)