23 people arrested, 2 still at large in connection to auto theft ring, Houston police say

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Twenty-five people are facing criminal charges after Houston police busted a major auto theft ring that was targeting high-end vehicles in downtown, near the Galleria, and The Heights.

Police said the ringleader in this auto theft group would seek out cars to steal and call in his workers to commit the crime. Ultimately, the vehicles would get resold to people who had no idea they were buying stolen cars.

HPD first learned of the ringleader back in 2021. The ring leader was arrested, but police said Mazimiliano Rodriguez continued his efforts while out on bond.

Rodriguez stole high-end vehicles like GMC pickup trucks and Corvettes and alerted a network of people to commit the crimes, according to police.

Officers said Rodriguez is responsible for $10 million in thefts of high-end vehicles.

The suspect is accused of altering the vehicle identification numbers, making fake paperwork, then selling the cars to people using Facebook Marketplace.

Police said Rodriguez gave his crew phones and electronic devices to help them steal cars.

"This is a person who is a predator. People say we go out after violent criminals, but we go after criminals who cause havoc in our city, and he's causing havoc. I'll let the courts do what they do, but hopefully everyone understands that people like this without a doubt need to be off our streets and locked up in jail," HPD Chief Troy Finner said.

The Houston Police Department are still looking for two ring members. While they continue looking for them, officers are urging people to protect their cars, use an aftermarket alarm system, use a metal steering wheel locking air, and install a vehicle tracker so they can be recovered faster.

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