Phoenix cops find 1,200 catalytic converters as thefts soar

PHOENIX -- An Arizona man was facing a number of theft fees Friday after detectives found more than 1,200 catalytic converters packed right into a storage unit, a case that highlights a nationwide surge in thefts of the expensive auto parts that play a vital role in lowering vehicle emissions.

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

“We were very stunned 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 shopping for and selling the convertors was charged with 40 counts of theft and should face additional fees.

The huge rise in catalytic converters thefts across the nation has hit tens of 1000's of automobile and truck homeowners in the pocketbook and frustrated police, who're faced with against the law that takes just minutes to commit and is troublesome to solve even if they discover the stolen parts.

Catalytic converters aren't imprinted on the factory with serial numbers and stolen converters end up on a black market the place they are chopped open for the valuable metals they contain.

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

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

Lawmakers across the nation have taken discover, introducing legislation designed to make it more durable for criminals to unload their loot. In response to the National 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 instances a criminal offense and adds detailed reporting necessities for scrap sellers that buy legit used gadgets. They must mark the merchandise with the donor car's serial number and retain it for a minimum of a week in original condition.

Scrap sellers caught with unregistered or stolen converters face a $500 effective for the first offense, a $2,000 high quality for a second and at the least double that for every further time they're caught. These possessing or attempting to promote a used catalytic converter that do not meet new necessities could face a six-month jail sentence.

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

The insurance group's President and CEO David Glawe called it a vital step in serving to deliver reduction to individuals straight impacted by the thefts.

Insurance typically does not cover a automobile owner's losses. Somebody carrying just legal responsibility coverage or liability and collision is on the hook for the full bill. Even with comprehensive protection, there's a deductible that could be excessive sufficient that it's not worth submitting a declare.

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