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Western Mass. crew accused of stealing at least 470 catalytic converters
Spanning 2022 and 2023, the alleged thefts resulted in a combined loss of about $2 million, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
Seven men were arrested Wednesday and charged in connection with a multi-state “organized theft crew” that allegedly stole more than 470 catalytic converters in Massachusetts and New Hampshire over the past year, according to federal officials.
U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins’s office said in a press release that the thefts resulted in a combined loss of about $2 million. Law enforcement officials have dubbed the investigation “Operation Cut & Run.”
The alleged ring included Rafael Davila, 35, of Feeding Hills; Jose Torres, 37, of Springfield; Nicolas Davila, 25, of Springfield; Jose Fonseca, 26, of Springfield; Zachary Marshall, 26, of Holyoke; Santo Feliberty, 34, of Springfield; and Alexander Oyola, 37, of Springfield, according to the release.
All seven have been charged with conspiracy to transport stolen property in interstate commerce; interstate transportation of stolen property; conspiracy to commit bank theft; bank theft; and money laundering conspiracy.
Alleged catalytic converter thieves kept notes
Prosecutors allege that Rafael Davila, also known as “Robbin Hood,” was the ringleader and participated in catalytic converter thefts and burglaries “on a full-time basis, committing thefts multiple nights per week for upwards of eight hours a night.”
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A pollutant-reducing car part, catalytic converters have become a favored target of thieves seeking the precious metals within.
“The crime, according to court documents, takes less than one minute and effectively leaves these vehicles disabled,” Rollins said in a press conference Wednesday morning.
According to her office’s press release, officials in Massachusetts and New Hampshire identified a maroon Acura that was reportedly involved in a number of catalytic converter thefts. Investigators reportedly traced the car back to Rafael Davila.
Davila allegedly maintained “meticulous” notes detailing targets, the number of catalytic converters stolen, and where the purloined car parts were dropped off, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. Torres allegedly acted as a middle-man, accumulating stolen catalytic converters and selling them to scrap dealers in the Northeast.
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Investigators believe there may be a “significant” number of additional thefts that were not identified or reported to law enforcement, according to the release.
In addition to catalytic converter thefts, prosecutors said Rafael Davila, Feliberty, and Oyola teamed up to steal from Massachusetts ATMs on three separate occasions in December 2022. The trio allegedly used stolen trucks to rip the ATMs from the ground and gain access to their vaults.
The three men also burglarized two New Hampshire jewelry stores on Jan. 12, 2023, making off with more than $137,000 in stolen jewelry and causing about $10,000 in damage to both stores, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
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