The investigation began after a vehicle was stolen from a rideshare driver, whose car was recovered with an altered license plate at a residence. A key cellphone belonging to one of the main suspects was seized there, which became the starting point of the case. The analysis of the device allowed the investigation to go beyond the initial incident and uncover an organized criminal structure.
The investigators from the Vehicle Theft Unit decided to review the phone's data under a court order, accessing messages, audio files, and photographs. What they found not only confirmed the specific theft but also revealed information about a gang dedicated to vehicle theft. In addition, it was discovered that the vehicles had different destinations depending on their age and market value.
The older cars were dismantled and their parts entered the illegal auto parts market, which remains active in the region. The newer vehicles, meanwhile, were transported to northern provinces of the country to be sold with forged documentation. Thirteen months after that initial discovery, the investigation led to a series of raids in Córdoba Capital.
How the organization operated and what the Police discovered
The simultaneous operations allowed twelve people to be arrested, including the alleged ringleader known as "El Michael." The man had a graphic workshop where vehicle papers and license plates were forged. During the operations, ten cars with seizure orders were also seized, along with forty stolen pickup truck wheels and several cellphones.
