RCMP bust rural chop shop near Calgary, recover 15 stolen vehicles worth up to $600K

RCMP say they've recovered 15 stolen vehicles worth up to $600,000 from a rural chop shop near Chestermere, Alta.

The stolen vehicles were found after the Calgary Police Service (CPS) tipped off the Mounties to the location of a suspected stolen SUV last week.

When RCMP showed up to the location on Range Road 285 near Highway 1, officers found what appeared to be a chop shop.

After getting a judge's signoff on a search warrant, investigators found 10 stolen vehicles, a skid steer, a flat deck trailer, a utility trailer, a side-by-side and a quad.

The estimated value of the vehicles is between $550,000 and $600,000, RCMP said in a release Thursday.

Two of the vehicles had already been dismantled and were beyond repair, according to investigators,and one had its VIN changed but the other seven were in "excellent condition."

RCMP say two of the stolen vehicles were taken during test drives at Calgary dealerships.

No charges have been laid.

TheRCMP says it continues to investigate alongside CPS's auto theft team.