Phoenix cops discover 1,200 catalytic converters as thefts soar

PHOENIX -- An Arizona man was going through a number of theft charges Friday after detectives found greater 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 car emissions.

The invention adopted a months-long investigation that began with a January tip that someone was storing stolen catalytic converters in an industrial area near Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

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

The 48-year-old man who police say was shopping for and promoting the convertors was charged with 40 counts of theft and may face extra expenses.

The large rise in catalytic converters thefts throughout the nation has hit tens of 1000's of automotive and truck owners within the pocketbook and frustrated police, who're faced with a crime that takes just minutes to commit and is difficult to resolve even if they discover the stolen elements.

Catalytic converters are not imprinted at the factory with serial numbers and stolen converters find yourself on a black market the place they're chopped open for the precious metals they comprise.

Replacing one can cost a motorist from $1,000 to $3,000, in response to the National Insurance coverage Crime Bureau, an insurance coverage industry group that works to combat insurance coverage fraud and crime. Police say thieves can get from $100 to $150 for each converter.

The insurance group counted just 3,969 experiences of stolen catalytic converters in 2019, more than 17,000 in 2020 and more than 52,000 final 12 months.

Lawmakers across the nation have taken discover, introducing laws designed to make it harder for criminals to unload their loot. In accordance with 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 invoice this month that makes possession of a catalytic converter in lots of cases a criminal offense and adds detailed reporting requirements for scrap dealers that buy authentic used units. They need to mark the item with the donor vehicle's serial quantity and retain it for not less than a week in unique condition.

Scrap dealers caught with unregistered or stolen converters face a $500 fine for the first offense, a $2,000 nice for a second and no less than double that for every additional time they're caught. These possessing or making an attempt to sell a used catalytic converter that don't meet new requirements may 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 may require serial numbers on new units, supply grants for packages to stamp numbers on current cars and vehicles and make it easier to prosecute thefts.

The insurance coverage group's President and CEO David Glawe referred to as it a critical step in helping carry aid to individuals directly impacted by the thefts.

Insurance often doesn't cover a car owner's losses. Someone carrying just legal responsibility protection or legal responsibility and collision is on the hook for the total invoice. Even with comprehensive protection, there's a deductible that may be high enough that it is not price submitting a claim.

“Lastly, some victims even with coverage may deal with the issue as a mechanical situation and just pay for it themselves and by no means notify their insurer,” insurance crime bureau spokesperson Tully Lehman said Friday.