Phoenix cops find 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 national surge in thefts of the expensive auto elements that play a essential position in reducing vehicle emissions.

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

“We were very surprised at 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 buying and promoting the convertors was charged with 40 counts of theft and will face further fees.

The large rise in catalytic converters thefts across the nation has hit tens of thousands of automotive and truck owners within the pocketbook and frustrated police, who are faced with against the law that takes simply minutes to commit and is tough to unravel even when they find the stolen parts.

Catalytic converters should not imprinted at the manufacturing unit with serial numbers and stolen converters find yourself on a black market where they are chopped open for the precious metals they comprise.

Changing 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 every converter.

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

Lawmakers throughout the nation have taken discover, introducing legislation designed to make it harder for criminals to unload their loot. Based on the Nationwide Insurance coverage Crime Bureau, 150 payments have been launched this 12 months 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 situations a criminal offense and adds detailed reporting necessities for scrap dealers that buy reliable used units. They have to mark the merchandise with the donor car's serial number and retain it for at the least a week in original condition.

Scrap dealers caught with unregistered or stolen converters face a $500 fantastic for the first offense, a $2,000 nice 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 do not meet new necessities may face a six-month jail sentence.

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

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

Insurance coverage often does not cover a car owner's losses. Someone carrying just legal responsibility coverage or liability and collision is on the hook for the complete bill. Even with complete coverage, there's a deductible which may be high enough that it's not worth submitting a claim.

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