LAWRENCE — Unemployment is up and businesses are closing on a weekly basis.
But there is one industry in Lawrence that has not taken a hit — in fact, it's booming.
Auto theft has become a big problem for police, with "chop shops" — where vehicles are dismantled and the parts then sold illegally — popping up in sheds and two-car garages across the city. Teens are running stolen parts for quick money.
"It's become a cottage industry in Lawrence," police Chief John Romero said. "People are actually taking special orders over the Internet. An engine. A door. They are getting creative."
People want cheap car parts, specifically Honda parts, Romero said.
"They're keeping their cars longer," he said. "There's a demand."
Police knew they had a Honda problem, they just hadn't realized the extent.
In 2008, 341 cars were stolen in Lawrence. Of those, 118 were Hondas. This year, the number jumped. Out of 389 car thefts, 216 have been Honda Civics and Accords — 56 percent.
"You remove Hondas from the equation and we don't have a stolen car problem anymore," Romero said.
The police chief said it's the Honda Civics and Accords from the mid-1990s that are targeted most. Their parts are interchangeable and Hondas are generally easy to steal.
"Most of the cars are worth more in pieces than assembled," he said. "If I took a '97 Honda apart, I could sell it for a lot more."
Police realized they were going to have to become creative to make any progress in solving the problem.
Usually, they would just arrest someone driving a stolen car. The thief then goes to jail. End of story.
"There was a change of philosophy," police Capt. Roy Vasque said. "Have more impact then just locking a guy up."
Two months into their auto theft siege, detectives have arrested a dozen people, including Leland Wamboldt of Sandown, N.H., and Luis Ayala-Santiago, Jorge Gonzalez and Benito Rivera, all of Lawrence. They busted chop shops at 10 Pleasant Terrace and on Sunset Avenue, impounded 10 vehicles with stolen parts, and have learned all about the stolen car trade from the suspects themselves.
"They're talking," Detective Michael Simard said. "They are cooperating with police."
The auto insurance fraud unit merged with the auto theft unit, creating a six-man team. They adjusted their hours to the peak times when cars are stolen.
Detectives developed confidential informants within the Honda theft ring. They received a $1,000 equipment grant from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, giving them the tools to analyze stolen parts.
And officers started patrolling heavily targeted areas, stopping Hondas for any motor vehicle offense, checking for signs the car or parts could be stolen.
"Any excuse to pull a Honda over, we are," Simard said.
They have even conducted searches of cars, pulling them apart piece by piece to see how thieves mask or obliterate vehicle identification numbers. They are learning what to look for.
Car thieves are chatting on car club Web sites, taking orders. They are following cars home and searching parking lots. They have even gone on Craigslist and hooked up with people selling their Hondas.
They chat with the owner, look under the hood, then say they're not interested only to come back at night to steal it.
"They'll do whatever it takes to get the parts they need," Romero said.
Police are also using technology to pinpoint where cars are being stolen and where they are dropped off, helping them to track down chop-shop operations.
And detectives said they have seen the car theft rate drop in half in the last month.
"They can't steal them if they're sitting in Middleton," Simard said, referring to the county jail.
And police are not stopping with the thieves. Auto body shops and people buying the stolen parts are now on the department's radar.
If police find stolen parts in a car, they hold the cars until a court case is disposed. Then, people have to pay for the towing, storage costs and any other fees.
"Just because you purchased it and paid for it, you're still in possession of stolen property," Romero said. "It's buyer beware, basically."
It's a hard temptation for many to resist. Black market parts are half off — or even cheaper — than used parts bought legitimately, police said.
An engine goes for $500 on the street. At a shop, it will cost as much as $2,000 for a used one, and several hundred more dollars for installation.
A transmission is as cheap as $300, instead of the $1,000 or more when bought legitimately.
Police say residents driving 1990s Honda Civics and Accords should use some type of anti-theft device. They are also asking people to watch what's happening in their neighborhoods.
"If you see a lot of different cars coming in and out of a garage, or if something seems suspicious, call us," Sgt. Mark Ciccarelli said.
Anyone with information about auto theft should call Ciccarelli at 978-794-5900, ext. 600. Calls can be anonymous.
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