Two men arrested after 25 Hondas stolen in Richmond, chop shop found in Petersburg

The Richmond Police Department arrested two men after 25 Hondas were reported stolen in Richmond over the past three weeks, WRIC 8News reported. The suspects face charges including grand larceny-auto and conspiracy to commit larceny, NBC12 reported.

Police investigations suggested a coordinated theft operation using electronic devices to clone key fobs of certain Honda vehicles, according to NBC12. License plate readers helped track the stolen cars to Petersburg, where detectives observed several stolen Hondas.

Richmond Police coordinated with Petersburg Police to arrest the two men and locate a chop shop on Deerfield Drive in Petersburg. Dozens of Honda parts were found at the site, which is suspected to be part of a larger operation involving vehicle component shipments overseas, NBC12 reported.

The investigation also uncovered stolen Hondas from New York state at the Petersburg location. Five Hondas stolen in Richmond have been returned to their owners, and parts from five other Richmond vehicles were recovered during the search, according to Richmond Police statements shared by NBC12.

Authorities are looking into possible links between this operation and a similar chop shop recently discovered by Philadelphia Police, indicating a wider network involved in Honda vehicle theft and parts distribution, NBC12 added.