Arizona Vehicle Theft Task Force Breaks Up Valley-Wide Motorcycle Theft Ring

On Tuesday, March 21, 2005, Detectives from the Arizona Vehicle Theft Task Force, which is administrated by the Arizona Department of Public Safety, served five search warrants at various locations across Maricopa County. The search warrants were developed after an extensive seven month investigation conducted by the Task Force into a major motorcycle theft ring and chop shop operation. The investigation was coined Operation M. C. Hymer after the two main suspects, a father and son team, Raymond Corey Hymer of Avondale, age 48, and Steven Ray Hymer, age 25. The warrants were served at the following locations: 1909 North Jay Street, Chandler, AZ. 10444 North Cave Creek, Phoenix, AZ. 13030 West Via Camille, El Mirage, AZ. 11420 West Olive Drive, Avondale, AZ. 4002 West Indian School, Phoenix, AZ. During the investigation and service of the warrants, detectives seized thirty-nine stolen motorcycles and components, four stolen trailers, tools and equipment, computers and documents used for facilitating the criminal operations and a multitude of motorcycles that had the vehicle identification numbers (VIN) ground off. Additional motorcycles were seized with re-stamped false VIN numbers. Most of the stolen motorcycles were high end; high performance sport-racing bikes which in addition to the other seized items had a total value of $1,000,000.00 for the recovered stolen property. Both of the Hymers were arrested yesterday and booked into the Maricopa County Fourth Avenue Jail and charged with the following: Multiple counts of theft of means Trafficking in stolen property Conspiracy Operating a chop shop Steven Hymer was additionally charged with being a prohibited possessor of a firearm (shotgun and handgun were found in his immediate possession) Assisting in the service of warrants were members of the Arizona Department of Public Safety Crime Laboratory, Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team, Gang Enforcement Detectives, and Detectives from the General Investigations District. Detectives will continue this investigation and begin the process of notifying victims and attempting to identify seized vehicles with removed and/or altered VINs.