MEMPHIS, TN - Two South Memphis men decide to take the law into their own hands. They tracked down the people who they think ripped them off.  Overnight, thieves broke into "Upgrade Auto Sales" at the corner of Mississippi and Crump. The thieves helped themselves to rims and a dozen catalytic converters. Once employees discovered what happened, they sprung into action.

Eric Scott is the office manager at Upgrade Auto Sales.  Scott says “when I sat in here this morning and cranked the car this is what I got (talking about the loud car exhaust). That is not normal it sounds like a muffler is missing."

Scott said he had a feeling where the thieves went to cash in.  Scott said, "you can go right down the street and get nice money on the spot." So he says he headed to M and E auto parts and got there just in time.

Scott said, “When I got there the guys were right there selling the rims off that car right there. They were getting a check for it right there as I pulled up."

An employee called police, but for Scott it was not enough. He wanted the auto store to stop the seller from leaving. A company spokesperson says that wasn't possible. Mark Odum with M & E auto parts says someone from the company did call police. Odum says he is cooperating with law enforcement, and did return the wheels.

Scott says he thinks people should not be able to sell to scrap dealers unless they can prove the parts are there own. Scott says replacing the parts will cost more than four thousand dollars.  

If you try to sell metal to a scrap metal dealer, under a new Tennessee law, the dealers are required to make a copy of your photo id. They will also have to get your thumbprint.

Today at M and E, employees were complying with that law. They were also writing down the makes, models and license plate numbers of the people selling the parts.