Phoenix cops find 1,200 catalytic converters as thefts soar

PHOENIX -- An Arizona man was facing a number of theft costs Friday after detectives discovered more than 1,200 catalytic converters packed into a storage unit, a case that highlights a national surge in thefts of the pricy auto components that play a important function in decreasing car emissions.

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

“We were very shocked on the quantity in there,” Phoenix police Det. Adam Popelier mentioned 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 additional fees.

The huge rise in catalytic converters thefts throughout the nation has hit tens of hundreds of automotive and truck house owners within the pocketbook and pissed off police, who're confronted with against the law that takes simply minutes to commit and is difficult to resolve even when they discover the stolen parts.

Catalytic converters aren't 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 contain.

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

The insurance coverage group counted simply 3,969 experiences of stolen catalytic converters in 2019, greater than 17,000 in 2020 and more than 52,000 last yr.

Lawmakers across the nation have taken notice, introducing legislation designed to make it tougher for criminals to unload their loot. In response to 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 cases a crime and adds detailed reporting necessities for scrap sellers that purchase reliable used gadgets. They need to mark the merchandise with the donor automobile's serial number and retain it for a minimum of a week in original situation.

Scrap dealers caught with unregistered or stolen converters face a $500 high-quality for the first offense, a $2,000 advantageous for a second and a minimum of double that for each additional time they are caught. These possessing or making an attempt to promote a used catalytic converter that do not meet new requirements could face a six-month jail sentence.

Federal laws is also in the works. Indiana Rep. Jim Baird is sponsoring a invoice backed by the National Insurance Crime Bureau that will require serial numbers on new gadgets, offer grants for packages to stamp numbers on current cars and trucks and make it simpler to prosecute thefts.

The insurance group's President and CEO David Glawe referred to as it a essential step in helping bring aid to folks immediately impacted by the thefts.

Insurance coverage often doesn't cowl a car owner's losses. Somebody carrying simply liability coverage or legal responsibility and collision is on the hook for the full bill. Even with complete coverage, there is a deductible which may be high sufficient that it is not price submitting a claim.

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