Chop shop found on South Main

Porterville man arrested Friday

A Porterville man was arrested Friday after detectives found a stolen car being taken apart, the Porterville Police Department reported.

At approximately 2 p.m. Friday, detectives from the PPD received information regarding a stolen vehicle out of the Los Angeles area. Detectives from the Narcotics Investigations Unit were called in to assume the investigation.

Detectives obtained a search warrant for a shop located in the 1300 block of South Main Street. The Tulare County Regional Auto Theft Task Force also responded to assist with the investigation. Detectives executed the search warrant and located the stolen vehicle. The vehicle was in process of being dismantled.

Luis Panchillo Juarez, 38, of Porterville, was contacted at the scene. He was determined to be the person responsible for the shop and the dismantling of the stolen vehicle.

Juarez was arrested without incident and was booked into the Tulare County Jail on felony charges of auto theft and operating a chop shop.