George Linder, 58, was arrested and booked on a litany of charges when a search warrant executed on his residence at 1280 Fremont St. uncovered a host of stolen vehicles and a few misplaced or just plain missing vehicle identification numbers (VINs).

Linder appears to have been engaged in the common practice of switching VIN numbers from a broken-down legal vehicle to a vehicle that runs but is not legal.

Although the search warrant and Linder's arrest occurred last Friday, the story began Feb. 10, when a stolen vehicle that the Nye County Sheriff's Office reported was driven by Linder was recovered in Las Vegas.

Now fast forward to last Friday, when NCSO deputies and Las Vegas Metro officers who specialize in stolen vehicles and stolen property executed the search warrant.

In the backyard, officers found a 1997 white Dodge 2500 pick-up truck that was broken down. The Dodge's VIN had been removed.

However, in Linder's bedroom, officers found paperwork for the Dodge pick-up, including a title certificate and copy of the vehicle's registration. Officers even found an envelope with the truck's actual VIN plate.

Officers believed that the VIN found in the bedroom for the Dodge was to have been placed on the stolen vehicle that had been recovered in Las Vegas back in February.

But the car caper didn't end there for Linder or the deputies.

Another instance of a VIN switcheroo was uncovered when deputies also discovered a black Toyota 4-runner with a maroon hood in Linder's backyard.

The VIN on the Toyota was actually registered to a stolen maroon 4-runner that had been recovered in Las Vegas. The maroon vehicle had been driven by Richard Harvin, who reportedly was associated with Linder.

Further indicating vehicular shenanigans was the fact that the maroon 4-runner which had been recovered in Vegas had a black hood and the black 4-runner had a maroon hood.

Adding to the list of sketchy vehicles found on Linder's property was an unregistered white box trailer from which the VIN and sticker had been ground off the trailer tongue.

Capping the list of illicit paraphernalia at Linder's property were 11 white pills and two red pills.

Linder was arrested and booked on three counts of defacement or removal of VINs, grand larceny accessory, possession of stolen property, and two counts of possession of stolen property.

He is being held on $35,000 bail.