Phoenix cops discover 1,200 catalytic converters as thefts soar

PHOENIX -- An Arizona man was dealing with a number of theft charges Friday after detectives found more than 1,200 catalytic converters packed into a storage unit, a case that highlights a nationwide surge in thefts of the pricy auto components that play a important position in reducing automobile emissions.

The invention followed a months-long investigation that started with a January tip that somebody was storing stolen catalytic converters in an industrial space close to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

“We were very stunned on the quantity in there,” Phoenix police Det. Adam Popelier stated 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 shopping for and selling the convertors was charged with 40 counts of theft and should face further expenses.

The large rise in catalytic converters thefts across the nation has hit tens of thousands of automobile and truck homeowners within the pocketbook and pissed off police, who're faced with a criminal offense that takes just minutes to commit and is troublesome to unravel even if they find the stolen parts.

Catalytic converters usually are not imprinted on the manufacturing facility with serial numbers and stolen converters end up on a black market where they're chopped open for the precious metals they include.

Replacing one can value a motorist from $1,000 to $3,000, in line with the Nationwide Insurance coverage Crime Bureau, an insurance coverage 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 just 3,969 reports of stolen catalytic converters in 2019, greater than 17,000 in 2020 and greater than 52,000 final yr.

Lawmakers throughout the nation have taken notice, introducing laws designed to make it harder for criminals to unload their loot. Based on the Nationwide Insurance coverage Crime Bureau, 150 payments have been introduced this year in 36 states and enacted in 16 states.

That includes Arizona, the place Republican Gov. Doug Ducey signed a invoice this month that makes possession of a catalytic converter in many cases a criminal offense and adds detailed reporting requirements for scrap dealers that purchase reputable used devices. They must mark the merchandise with the donor automobile's serial quantity and retain it for a minimum of a week in authentic condition.

Scrap dealers caught with unregistered or stolen converters face a $500 advantageous for the first offense, a $2,000 positive for a second and not less than double that for each additional time they are caught. Those possessing or attempting to sell a used catalytic converter that don't meet new requirements could face a six-month jail sentence.

Federal laws can also be in the works. Indiana Rep. Jim Baird is sponsoring a invoice backed by the Nationwide Insurance coverage Crime Bureau that might require serial numbers on new units, offer grants for packages to stamp numbers on present vehicles and vans and make it easier to prosecute thefts.

The insurance coverage group's President and CEO David Glawe known as it a important step in serving to convey aid to individuals straight impacted by the thefts.

Insurance often does not cover a car owner's losses. Somebody carrying simply legal responsibility protection or liability and collision is on the hook for the total bill. Even with complete coverage, there's a deductible that may be excessive sufficient that it's not worth filing a declare.

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