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<p>PLYMOUTH &#8212; Borough police charged a garage owner with running a chop shop by scrapping parts from customers&#8217; vehicles he refused to return, according to court records.</p><p>Steven Tattersall, 34, of Hunlock Township, owner of Steve&#8217;s Auto Repair, 160 W. Main St., was arrested when police served a search warrant at his business on Tuesday.</p><p>Police received several complaints from customers who claimed Tattersall refused to return their vehicles, court records say.</p><p>When police searched the property, they allegedly discovered customers&#8217; vehicles with missing wheels and parts.</p><p>A 1979 Chevrolet Coachman RV, reported stolen to Plains Township police, was found at the garage cut in half and dismantled, court records say.</p><p>According to the criminal complaint:</p><p>Jade Perillo, owner of a used car dealership, told police Aug. 28 he had six vehicles at Tattersall&#8217;s garage to be repaired before he offered the cars for sale.</p><p>When Perillo checked on the status of the vehicles, he learned Tattersall did little to no work and several vehicles were missing wheels. Perillo later learned Tattersall&#8217;s garage was condemned by the borough&#8217;s code enforcement office.</p><p>Tattersall allegedly told Perillo he was not going to release the vehicles unless he was paid in full for work already done and storage. Tattersall barricaded his property to prevent Perillo from removing the six vehicles, the complaint says.</p><p>When police served the search warrant, they found most of the six vehicles missing wheels or other parts, including a 2000 Ford Mustang that was attached to a tow truck, the complaint says.</p><p>Two vehicles owned by Perillo had &#8220;storage&#8221; spray painted on the doors.</p><p>Police said a woman reported Sept. 4 her vehicle was at Tattersall&#8217;s garage for about three weeks to be repaired. When she learned the garage was condemned, she claimed Tattersall failed to release her vehicle and demanded payment of $400 for a diagnostic test.</p><p>Another customer told police he was friends with Tattersall and had his vehicle at the garage for about a year. When he learned the garage was condemned, Tattersall refused to return the vehicle, which was missing a catalytic converter.</p><p>Tattersall was arraigned Wednesday by District Judge Joseph D. Spagnuolo Jr. in Luzerne County Central Court on eight counts of theft, two counts of criminal mischief and one count each of operating or conducting a chop shop and receiving stolen property. He was jailed at the county correctional facility for lack of $5,000 bail.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_Steven-Tattersall-09112019.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Tattersall</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/web1_Steven-Tattersall-09112019.jpg</photo0><caption0>Tattersall</caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Ed Lewis</p><p>elewis@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

Garage owner charged with running alleged chop shop