Police discover a stolen bicycle 'chop-shop' at homeless encampment

CULVER CITY, Calif. (FOX 11 / CNS) - A bicycle theft on Wednesday in Culver City led to the discovery of what police described as a makeshift bike "chop-shop'' at a creekside homeless encampment.

Officers were sent about 2 p.m. to the Culver City Julian Dixon Library at 4975 Overland Ave. to investigate a bicycle theft.

They checked the area and located the stolen bicycle and a suspect in a homeless encampment under a bridge in the area of Ballona Creek and Centinela Avenue.

"A search of the encampment revealed that it was being used as a makeshift chop-shop for bicycles,'' according to a police statement.

"The detectives recovered welding equipment, paint and tools commonly used to piece bicycles together. Along with the aforementioned, detectives recovered approximately 50 bicycles that are most likely stolen.''

No information about the arrested suspect was immediately available.