Phoenix cops find 1,200 catalytic converters as thefts soar

PHOENIX -- An Arizona man was dealing with a number of theft fees 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 elements that play a vital position in lowering 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 space 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 were 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 should face further expenses.

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 frustrated police, who are confronted with against the law that takes just minutes to commit and is troublesome to unravel even if they discover the stolen parts.

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

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

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

Lawmakers across the nation have taken notice, introducing legislation designed to make it tougher for criminals to unload their loot. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, 150 bills have been introduced this year in 36 states and enacted in 16 states.

That features Arizona, the place Republican Gov. Doug Ducey signed a invoice this month that makes possession of a catalytic converter in lots of situations against the law and provides detailed reporting requirements for scrap sellers that purchase professional used devices. They need to mark the item with the donor automobile's serial quantity and retain it for at the very least per week in unique condition.

Scrap dealers caught with unregistered or stolen converters face a $500 fine for the primary offense, a $2,000 fantastic for a second and at the least double that for every extra time they're caught. These possessing or making an attempt to promote a used catalytic converter that do not meet new necessities could face a six-month jail sentence.

Federal legislation is also 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 gadgets, provide grants for applications to stamp numbers on present vehicles and vans and make it simpler to prosecute thefts.

The insurance group's President and CEO David Glawe known as it a vital step in serving to deliver relief to individuals directly impacted by the thefts.

Insurance often does not cowl a automobile owner's losses. Somebody carrying simply liability protection or legal responsibility and collision is on the hook for the full bill. Even with comprehensive coverage, there is a deductible that may be excessive enough that it isn't price filing a claim.

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