This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
West Valley City police announced Monday that they and fellow Salt Lake Valley agencies recovered 29 stolen vehicles and arrested 55 people in the past few days.
In the past several months, West Valley City police investigators noticed a big increase in the number of vehicles stolen both from within the city and neighboring jurisdictions. West Valley City police teamed up with officers from the county, Salt Lake City, South Salt Lake and North Salt Lake, as well as the Utah Department of Public Safety and Motor Vehicle Enforcement, to catch those responsible.
After four days of intense investigation, officers recovered 29 stolen vehicles throughout the valley, as well as three stolen engines and four stolen guns, according to a news release.
They also arrested 55 people, most for some suspected link to the thefts, said West Valley City police Sgt. Jason Hauer. Some of the arrests were also for outstanding warrants, Hauer said.
Of the arrests, 37 of them were on suspicion of felony-level charges, the release adds.
Most of the stole vehicles were older-model Hondas. The suspects were not part of any known auto-theft ring, Hauer said.
"Many hours of planning and preparation went into this operation, and the West Valley City Police Department expresses their appreciation to the agencies who participated and helped make this operation successful," the release adds.
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