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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Seven members of an organized theft crew were arrested and charged in connection with stealing hundreds of catalytic converters across New England, officials said Wednesday.
The suspects allegedly stole the converters from over 470 vehicles and also targeted ATMs and jewelry stores across Massachusetts and New Hampshire in 2022 and 2023.
Catalytic converters are part of the vehicle's exhaust device that reduce the toxic gas and pollutants from a vehicle’s internal combustion engine into safe emissions, and are required on all combustion engine automobiles in the United States. Thieves target the converters because of the high value of the precious metals inside their core.
The seven defendants, led by alleged crew leader Rafael Davila, 35, of Feeding Hills, Mass., 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.
The other suspects are: Jose Torres, 37, of Springfield, Mass.; Nicolas Davila, 25, of Springfield, Mass.; Jose Fonseca, 26, of Springfield, Mass.; Zachary Marshall, 26, of Holyoke, Mass.; Santo Feliberty, 34, of Springfield, Mass.; and Alexander Oyola, 37, of Springfield, Mass.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Rafael Davila planned and participated in the thefts on a full-time basis, committing thefts multiple nights per week for upwards of eight hours a night.
Additionally, it is alleged that Davila kept meticulous notes on the locations he and his conspirators had targeted and the number of catalytic converters that had been stolen, including the make and models and when they were dropped off.
Prosecutors allege that once in possession of the stolen catalytic converters, the crew would then allegedly sell them to Torres, who would in turn sell them to scrap dealers in the Northeast, some of whom have since been charged federally for interstate transportation of stolen property and money laundering. Torres allegedly transacted approximately $30,000 to $80,000 in stolen catalytic converters per week to these dealers.
Members of the crew also allegedly conspired to steal from ATMs of federally insured banks in Massachusetts on three separate occasions in December 2022, and allegedly committed burglaries of two New Hampshire jewelry stores on Jan. 12, 2023.
Over 70 local police departments from across New England contributed to the investigation.
WBZ's Mike Macklin reports.
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