Germantown residents report stripped vehicles in local field

Philadelphia police are investigating a cluster of stripped vehicles found in the Germantown neighborhood. The discoveries have prompted officials to examine whether the cars are part of a larger network of auto thefts targeting Honda models.

Dan Zobel of Horsham first noticed the abandoned cars while walking his dog near his workplace. He reported each vehicle he found to police. Zobel said the cars have appeared with disturbing regularity in the same spot. "Every Monday for the past three weeks there's been cars," he said.

On the day Zobel spoke with reporters, police recovered three vehicles near the intersection of Logan and Stenton avenues. A fourth car was recovered on Oct. 19. Zobel described finding two Acuras hidden in the trees near a Honda Pilot. On another occasion, he located an Acura parked in the open without wheels or doors.

The activity in Germantown comes as detectives continue to pursue organized vehicle theft operations in the city. In September, Capt. Robert McKeever of the Major Crimes Unit revealed a chop shop in North Philadelphia. Investigators found seven Hondas there that were targeted for their interchangeable parts. Two people were arrested in that case.

Police believe that North Philadelphia operation was tied to a Dominican theft ring dismantled in April. Investigators estimated that ring stole $4.6 million in Honda parts over two years. In a separate April investigation, police uncovered a theft ring in Northwest Philadelphia that focused on Honda CR-Vs. At least 50 vehicles worth $1.6 million were stolen in that case, leading to eight arrests.

Citywide, more than 12,000 vehicles were stolen this year. Just over a quarter of those were Hondas. Zobel, who owns a Honda, said the trend worries him. "I bought it like a year and a half ago, and then they all kept getting stolen in Philly," he said.

Detectives stated this is the first time they have seen vehicles dumped and stripped in this specific manner in Northwest Philadelphia. Police are currently investigating whether the Germantown vehicles are connected to other cases. Sources said investigators are monitoring three undisclosed locations in Northeast Philadelphia for similar activity.