Liverpool: Stolen car leads police to suspected chop shop

A suspected chop shop was found on Rice Lane close to a busy retail site

A car believed stolen that was on the back of a truck led police to a suspected chop shop yards from a busy Liverpool shopping area.

A large number of vehicles and car parts could be seen behind a cordon on Rice Lane, Walton, while officers examined the scene.

Merseyside Police said two men have been arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods.

The discovery followed a report of a stolen vehicle at 11:00 BST on Tuesday.

Officers were deployed and realised the car was on the back of a low-loader truck, which was stopped.

The driver, a 40-year-old man, was arrested and the truck was linked to a garage behind The Prince Alfred bed and breakfast, on the corner of Rice Lane and Stoker Way.

At the garage officers found a 60-year-old, man who was also arrested.

Some vehicles appeared to have been partially dismantled

On Wednesday crime scene investigators remained at the site, where a large number of vehicles could be seen behind a fence, partially obscured by a green mesh material.

Some vehicles appeared to have been partly dismantled, and a number of car doors could be seen stacked against each other.

The force says it is now working through the collection of vehicles to determined how many are suspected to have been stolen.

Det Insp Neil Dillon said the "alertness and vigilance" of his fellow officers had led to a "large number" of stolen vehicles being recovered.

He urged anyone with information about the movement or storage of stolen vehicles to contact the force.

The two men arrested have since been conditionally bailed pending further enquiries.