The mastermind behind a spate of catalytic converter thefts, Rafael Davila, commonly called "Robbin Hood," has pled guilty to federal charges including conspiracy to transport stolen property and bank theft; the bust resulted in a significant drop in these crimes across Massachusetts and New Hampshire, officials announced.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Davila, a 35-year-old from Springfield, Mass, orchestrated the theft of catalytic converters from nearly 500 vehicles, amounting to roughly $2 million in losses spanning over the course of 2022 and until his arrest in April 2023, and since the takedown catalytic converter thefts plummeted to less than 15 reported incidents in Massachusetts over the following 11 months, painting a stark contrast to the hundreds of thefts prior.

The thefts not only disrupted the owners but struck an array of victims including small businesses and community services—one of which was a food pantry—and individuals ranging from tradesmen to the elderly, some of whom faced not merely the inconvenience of vehicle repairs, but also significant financial burdens.

Davila's operation reportedly ran on a full-time basis, his nights spent targeting vehicles for upwards of eight hours per theft, keeping intricate records of his looting escapades he, along with his crew, then sold the stolen goods to Jose Torres, who would, in turn, sell them off to scrap dealers in a high-stake chain that has since drawn charges including interstate transportation of stolen property and money laundering in multiple U.S. districts, illustrating a sprawling network that fueled the black market of catalytic converters prized for precious metals worth more than gold.

Not restricted to mere catalytic converters, Davila's criminal empire extended to ATM thefts using stolen trucks and the burglary of two jewelry stores in New Hampshire, from which over $137,000 in jewelry was lifted, each store was left grappling with thousands in damages, according to the federal authorities.

All members of Davila's crew, named Operation Cut & Run by law enforcement, have now pleaded guilty, with some already sentenced to more than three years behind bars, and Davila's sentencing slated for July 30, 2024, where he faces a possible combination of several decades of imprisonment and fines in the hundreds of thousands.

The expansive investigation leading to the dismantling of this ring of thievery included over 70 local police departments in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and federal agencies—all pivotal in restoring a semblance of security to the beleaguered communities affected by the thefts.