Man charged after police follow car to 'chop shop'

Police followed a flatbed truck carrying a reportedly stolen car to a site off Rice Lane in Walton

A man has been charged with handling stolen cars and vans worth more than £146,000 after a suspected chop shop was raided by police.

Merseyside Police followed a reportedly stolen car being carried on the back of a truck to a lock-up behind a pub off Rice Lane in Walton, Liverpool, on 2 April.

There they found a large collection of cars and vehicle parts believed to have been stolen.

A 41-year-old man has since been charged with 12 counts of handling stolen goods and one of disguising or transferring criminal property, in relation to car parts.

The suspected chop-shop was located next to a busy shopping area containing a McDonald's restaurant

According to the charges, 10 of the vehicles are valued at combined £146,600 - including a Kia Sportage worth £28,000 - while two are listed as value unknown.

The suspected chop shop was in an area reached by a short track between the Prince Alfred bed and breakfast, on the corner of Rice Lane and Stoker Way, and a fence on the edge of a busy shopping area containing a McDonald's restaurant.

At the time, two men were arrested and bailed.

Merseyside Police confirmed one of the men, aged 60, had since been told no further action would be taken against him.

The 41-year-old man, from Anfield, was due to make an initial appearance at Liverpool Magistrates' Court.