CLEARFIELD – A Houtzdale man has been arrested on several felony charges for operating an alleged chop shop at his residence.
Matthew Alan Wisor, 26, has been charged by Trooper Lance Howell of the Clearfield-based state police with felony owning, operating, constructing a chop shop (three counts), burglary (two counts), criminal trespass, alteration or destruction of vehicle identification number, disposition of vehicle or vehicle part with altered vehicle identification number, theft by unlawful taking (five counts) and receiving stolen property (five counts) and misdemeanor criminal mischief.
Wisor waived his right to a preliminary hearing Tuesday during centralized court at the Clearfield County Jail. He’s being held in lieu of $50,000 bail.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, on June 2, Howell responded to a reported burglary at Action Cycle & ATV in Boggs Township. A witness said she arrived at the repair shop and noticed that the front garage door was busted open and off the tracks.
Inside she said she found the shop ransacked, contacted state police and then determined that a total of four vehicles had been stolen including a 1972 Yamaha 360 Enduro motorcycle and a 2016 Kawasaki KFX 250 dirt bike.
The witness said it appeared that numerous all-terrain vehicle/dirt bike parts had been stolen, as well as 17 pairs of Thor racing gloves, eight pairs of 100% racing goggles, three sets of Moose handlebars, 12 EK dirt bike chains, two battery charges, miscellaneous parts and $200 in cash from the register.
Howell spoke to the shop owner via telephone and he indicated that a complete list of stolen items wouldn’t be established until he returned from vacation in about month.
He provided the vehicle identification numbers for the 1972 Yamaha 360 Enduro and 2016 Kawasaki KFX 250, noting the Yamaha Enduro is a very rare motorcycle that belonged to him. He said the other three vehicles belonged to customers, and he’d been working on them.
On June 16, state police received information about the stolen Yamaha Enduro. Two witnesses said it was at a residence in the 400 block of Ida Street in Woodward Township; both were familiar with the motorcycle from being acquainted with its owner.
Troopers responded to the residence and observed a male, identified as Wisor, outside working on a green Honda ATV. The Yamaha Enduro was reportedly observed, but its gas tank was now spray-painted yellow.
At the scene, a trooper also observed a handheld grinding tool/stone lying next to the Yamaha Enduro. The motorcycle reportedly had fresh grind marks on its frame and its vehicle identification number was “obliterated.”
Two other ATVs and a youth utility terrain vehicle were at the residence, and it was reportedly determined that the Yamaha Warrior ATV, Honda Foreman ATV and Polaris Youth 170 UTV were stolen. All the vehicles were seized by state police.
On June 17, Trooper Michael Pisarchick of the Auto Theft Task Force was requested to assist with the positive identification of the ATVs and motorcycle.
Pisarchick contacted the owner of Action Cycle & ATV, and based upon two, unique characteristics and model, he confirmed the 1972 Yamaha Enduro belonged to him.
The same day, Howell, Pisarchick and other troopers returned to Wisor’s residence to execute a search warrant based upon information and the previous seizure of vehicles.
A search of the garage allegedly turned up several ATVs and dirt bikes, at which point a 2016 Kawasaki KFX 250 dirt bike was confirmed as stolen from Action Cycle & ATV on June 2.
It turned up several bags containing miscellaneous items stolen from the repair shop like motorcycle chains, shifters and levers, battery tenders and engine oil. The items were still in their original packaging with a bar code, part number and price tag, according to the affidavit.
Howell observed a box containing red and orange turn signals and a red taillight. These items, he said, appeared to be antique and were believed to be taken from the 1972 Yamaha Enduro that was seized June 16.
He observed two sets of handlebars that were marked with bar codes and part numbers, as well as that several items were spray-painted yellow in the garage.
Inside a small bedroom on the second-level of the residence, Howell located an Adidas bookbag reportedly containing Action Cycle & ATV T-shirts, Thor racing gloves and other items. A plastic bag underneath the bookbag reportedly contained Action Cycle & ATV ball caps, racing goggles, knee pads and racing grips.
Troopers seized all the stolen merchandise, parts believed to belong to the stolen Yamaha Enduro as well as items used as part of the alleged chop shop like a Hitachi grinder, Dremel 3000 grinder, yellow spray paint, blue handlebars, ATV ramps and receipts from G&C Scrap.
On June 17, Howell video-chatted with the owner of Action Cycle & ATV from the Clearfield barracks. They went through each item of merchandise, and they were all confirmed as belonging to the repair shop.
Pisarchick and Howell interviewed Wisor July 2 at the Clearfield County Jail. He claimed he was paid in drugs and money to store motorcycles and ATVs for another male.
He admitted that he altered the appearance of the vehicles and removed identification numbers from several of them.
The troopers specifically asked Wisor about the 1972 Yamaha 360 Enduro and the Kawasaki KFX 250. He said the day he was picked up by state police, he was finishing up grinding the identification number off the Yamaha.
He said he had a Honda Foreman and was in the process of removing its winch, so that he could then remove its vehicle identification number.
He also said that he altered the appearance of the Kawasaki, painted the Yamaha Enduro’s gas tank and painted and changed the tires on the Polaris UTV.
Wisor admitted to being involved with the theft of a Honda Foreman and a Yamaha Warrior from a garage in Frenchville, and to being aware that all the vehicles and merchandise, which were seized from his residence, were stolen.
