HOUSTON — Twenty-five people have been charged in what Houston police are calling a major auto theft ring bust. Of those 25 people, Chief Troy Finner said two are still on the run.
Finner said the group's leader, 33-year-old Mazimiliano Rodriguez, has been arrested and is being held on a $1.5 million bond.
"It's important to know, this individual has been arrested 30 times, at least, in his adult life," Finner said about Rodriguez. "Through an extensive and thorough investigation, our Auto Theft Division detectives determined that Rodriguez headed the operation."
The ring targeted hundreds of high-end vehicles in the Galleria area, downtown and the Heights, according to Finner.
Suspects still on the run
Police said they are still looking for two people charged in the auto theft ring. Devani Laguna, 18, is wanted for theft greater than $30,000 and less than $150,000. Adrian Anthony Longoria is wanted for theft greater than $750 and less than $2,500.
If you have any information on their whereabouts, you're asked to contact HPD or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477 (TIPS).
What happened
Lt. Tolan Harding with Houston Auto Crime Task Force said Rodriguez was originally identified as a suspect in April 2021, but police had a difficult time linking him to thefts. He said the task force identified some vehicles believed to be used in the crimes and conducted surveillance operations.
In June 2022, officers found Rodriguez breaking into vehicles and disabling the alarms before someone else would drive away in the stolen car, police said. At that time, Harding said Rodriguez and several accomplices were arrested and charged with auto theft crimes.
Later that month, Harding said officers found Rodriguez, along with an accomplice, in possession of a stolen pickup truck with paper plates. They were allegedly altering the VIN on the dashboard. He was once again charged with an auto theft crime.
In July, officers found Rodriguez and other suspects going into a luxury apartment complex and leaving with a Jeep Wrangler, which police said was freshly stolen. After this arrest, police got a warrant to search his phone and were able to connect him to three other stolen vehicles worth around $2.7 million.
Eventually, police said Rodriguez stopped being involved with the thefts himself, instead hiring others to steal the cars for him.
"At the same time, in December 2022, the Downtown Crime Suppression Team noticed an increase in thefts of high-end vehicles," Harding said. "Max would drive around during the day looking for additional vehicles to steal, however, at that time, Max would not actually steal these vehicles, he instead began hiring workers and employing other people to steal these vehicles for him."
Over several months, officers with the team made several arrests of people stealing cars in the downtown and Heights areas. Several of those arrested gave investigators information on Rodriguez on how he would recruit them and teach them how to steal the vehicles.
"He would show them how to steal the vehicles and provide them with the tools to do it," Harding said.
Harding said Rodriguez would offer the workers easy money, a place to stay and training.
"Max would provide them with a work phone, a work car, programming, a programming device, blank keys and also fake paper plates," Harding said. "Max would then give them specific vehicles to steal. Once the vehicle was stolen, Max would pay them upon delivery of the vehicle."
But he wouldn't pay the workers directly. Instead, he would leave the money in a specific location and tell the workers where it was.
Police said Rodriguez would typically resell the stolen cars on online marketplaces after altering the VINs on the dashboard and falsifying paperwork.
"He would make it, you know, a deal too good to be true. A $60,000 truck for $35,000. And he would sell it to another person for cash," Harding said.
Detectives believe Rodriguez to be responsible for at least $10 million in stolen cars over multiple years. He was out on two separate bonds while police said he was committing many of these crimes.
He was last arrested in September after detectives executed a search warrant at a home in Spring, Texas.
Reggie Jackson's car stolen in Houston
Police said the ring even stole Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson's car back in August. Juan Luna, 33, was arrested in September and charged in that incident.
Watch the full update police gave on Wednesday: