The type of guy who puts Hellcat in his name has to have a serious devotion to Dodge’s monstrous V8-powered cars. As it turns out, he earned that name by stealing Hellcats and swapping their motors into the cars of paying customers. He and three other men were booked on various charges including engaging in organized crime and theft of a vehicle in San Antonio, Texas.
The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office finally booked the crew after a year-long investigation internally known as “Operation Hellcat Mike.” The department learned that Hellcat Mike and several other mechanics would steal V8-powered Dodges, yank their engines and other components and swap them into lesser Mopar vehicles, then sell them on Facebook Marketplace, often with a giant snarling Hellcat decal near the C-pillar.
Law enforcement was watching Hellcat Mike’s San Antonio shop, when they pulled over a Chrysler 300 that was leaving the property, and found the Chrysler’s VIN didn’t match the computer’s VIN. Sheriffs noticed the VIN on the car didn’t match what the computer showed, but it did match that of a Dodge Charger Hellcat that had been stolen months before. The same day that sheriffs caught the Chrysler 300’s mismatched VIN, they also clocked a Ram 1500 leaving the shop with a license plate that belonged to a different Dodge Charger. According to The Drive,
With a search warrant in hand, sheriff’s deputies raided the property. Its initial search turned up seven stolen vehicles and various stolen parts including PCMs taken from local dealerships as well as a Charger in the process of being built.
“Hellcat” Mike Wilson, 37, and three other men, ages 19 to 33, were arrested. Two more suspects, both 18, remain at large. The Hellcat criminals were booked on various individual charges, including engaging in organized crime, unauthorized use of a vehicle, and theft of a vehicle. The sheriff’s office says Hellcat Mike is facing a $750,000 bond for his role in the chop shop and other incidents.
Hellcat and Hemi powered Dodge Chargers were the most stolen vehicle between the years 2020 and 2022, with Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) data showing Hellcats were about 60 times more likely to be stolen than the average car during the same time span. If you’re a Hellcat lover or owner in the San Antonio area, your car might just be significantly safer now that Hellcat Mike is behind bars.
