Alleged ‘chop shop’ in Charlotte linked to multiple stolen or cloned cars across the area: CMPD

CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — An arrest has been made after a two-year investigation into a potential chop shop, according to Charlotte Mecklenburg Police.

CMPD says its Stolen Car and Recovery Law Enforcement Team (Operation SCARLET) has been investigating a property at 10105 John Price Road as an alleged “chop shop” since June 2023.

On July 23, 2025, detectives and the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV) say they confirmed that multiple stolen or cloned vehicles were on the property, including a Dodge Challenger that was currently being stripped for parts.

CMPD alleges that this case is tied to an organized vehicle theft ring in Charlotte and across Cabarrus, Union, Gaston and York Counties. Concord Police also made a connected arrest in June 2025 after finding a key fob programmer with 97 VIN entries connected to over 58 stolen vehicles, including evidence linking back to the property on John Price Road.

Elijah Burgette, 26, of Fort Mill, was identified as a suspect thought to have stolen and cloned vehicles in his possession, which were tied to the theft ring and chop shop.

On August 28, 2025, SCARLET detectives found a stolen vehicle parked at the alleged chop shop, which was reportedly linked to Burgette. Detectives also found a vehicle thought to have driven in the felony flee to elude case days earlier.

Burgette was then arrested and charged with the following:

• Two counts of possession of a stolen motor vehicle
• Two counts of chop shop activity
• Seven counts of felony possession of stolen property
• Misdemeanor possession of stolen property

Officials say more charges are possible.

According to court and jail records, Burgette bonded out of the Mecklenburg County Detention Center on August 29. His bond has since been revoked after he missed a court hearing later that day.

CMPD says all 13 of its divisions helped in the case as well as the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office, Cabarrus Sheriff’s Office, Concord Police Department, Fayetteville Police Department, Huntersville Police Department, Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, Monroe Police Department, NCDMV, North Carolina State Highway Patrol, Pineville Police Department, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Stallings Police Department, Union County Sheriff’s Office, United States Secret Service, Waxhaw Police Department and York County Sheriff’s Office.