BROCKTON — Brockton Police Department, in collaboration with Massachusetts State Police (MSP) and various federal agencies, have successfully dismantled a sophisticated car theft ring known as “Operation Hellcat,” leading to multiple arrests and the recovery of over $2.6 million worth of stolen vehicles.
The year-long investigation culminated on Dec. 11, with the execution of search warrants at 11 residences and a garage, resulting in the seizure of 63 stolen vehicles, firearms, and several arrests.
The operation revealed a pattern of thefts of high-end cars from car dealerships, with the thefts occurring predominantly between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. from June 16, 2023, to November 2024.
Using advanced technology such as Autel Devices, the thieves were able to create functional key fobs on-site, allowing them to steal vehicles within minutes.
Teams of two to ten individuals, each with specific roles such as driver, lookout, and key programmer, carried out the thefts with precision.
The investigation, involving over 36 law enforcement agencies, utilized a mix of traditional and modern policing techniques, including cell phone data analysis, surveillance footage, social media, and confessions to track down participants.
Subpoenas for IP addresses linked to the group were issued, which correlated with Autel Devices, banks, and iCloud records, further implicating the suspects.
Among those arrested were James Senat, Nelson Pires, Jason Brito, Kevin DeGraca, Jalen Clarke-Cox, Andy Gomes, Jaydin Rodrigues, Derek Gaillot, and Claudio Medina.
Police are still searching for Paulo Frederico, Micaiah Taylor, and Andrick Semedo, with the latter having a revoked bail for other charges.
Items seized during the raids included firearms with large-capacity magazines, Autel devices, key fobs, and stolen vehicle license plates.
One particular suspect, Senat, was found in possession of a firearm and an Autel device and was arraigned on charges of machine gun possession and vehicle theft with a total bail set at $100,000.
Brockton Police Chief Brenda Perez praised the efforts of Detective Ryan Quirk and MSP Trooper Steven Grasso for leading the investigation and acknowledged the significant contributions from the detective and patrol divisions as well as the multitude of agencies involved.
