Phoenix cops discover 1,200 catalytic converters as thefts soar

PHOENIX -- An Arizona man was going through a number of theft fees Friday after detectives discovered more than 1,200 catalytic converters packed right into a storage unit, a case that highlights a nationwide surge in thefts of the pricy auto elements that play a vital function in reducing automobile emissions.

The discovery adopted a months-long investigation that started with a January tip that somebody was storing stolen catalytic converters in an industrial area near Phoenix Sky Harbor Worldwide Airport.

“We were very surprised at the amount in there,” Phoenix police Det. Adam Popelier said in a police video taken Thursday as officers were pulling converters from the jam-packed storage locker.

The 48-year-old man who police say was buying and promoting the convertors was charged with 40 counts of theft and may face additional fees.

The large rise in catalytic converters thefts across the nation has hit tens of hundreds of automotive and truck house owners within the pocketbook and pissed off police, who are confronted with against the law that takes just minutes to commit and is troublesome to solve even when they discover the stolen parts.

Catalytic converters are not imprinted on the factory with serial numbers and stolen converters end up on a black market the place they are chopped open for the precious metals they comprise.

Changing one can price a motorist from $1,000 to $3,000, in keeping with the Nationwide Insurance coverage Crime Bureau, an insurance trade group that works to fight insurance coverage fraud and crime. Police say thieves can get from $100 to $150 for each converter.

The insurance group counted simply 3,969 stories of stolen catalytic converters in 2019, more than 17,000 in 2020 and greater than 52,000 final year.

Lawmakers across the nation have taken discover, introducing legislation designed to make it more durable for criminals to unload their loot. Based on the National Insurance coverage Crime Bureau, 150 payments have been launched this yr in 36 states and enacted in 16 states.

That includes Arizona, the place Republican Gov. Doug Ducey signed a bill this month that makes possession of a catalytic converter in many situations a crime and adds detailed reporting necessities for scrap dealers that purchase professional used gadgets. They need to mark the item with the donor automobile's serial quantity and retain it for at the very least a week in original condition.

Scrap dealers caught with unregistered or stolen converters face a $500 effective for the primary offense, a $2,000 high-quality for a second and a minimum of double that for every additional time they are caught. Those possessing or making an attempt to sell a used catalytic converter that don't meet new requirements might face a six-month jail sentence.

Federal legislation can also be within the works. Indiana Rep. Jim Baird is sponsoring a invoice backed by the National Insurance Crime Bureau that may require serial numbers on new units, provide grants for packages to stamp numbers on existing vehicles and trucks and make it easier to prosecute thefts.

The insurance coverage group's President and CEO David Glawe referred to as it a important step in serving to bring relief to folks instantly impacted by the thefts.

Insurance coverage typically doesn't cover a automobile owner's losses. Someone carrying simply legal responsibility coverage or liability and collision is on the hook for the complete bill. Even with comprehensive coverage, there's a deductible which may be high sufficient that it's not value filing a declare.

“Lastly, some victims even with coverage could deal with the problem as a mechanical challenge and just pay for it themselves and never notify their insurer,” insurance crime bureau spokesperson Tully Lehman stated Friday.