Phoenix cops discover 1,200 catalytic converters as thefts soar

PHOENIX -- An Arizona man was facing a number of theft charges Friday after detectives discovered greater than 1,200 catalytic converters packed into a storage unit, a case that highlights a nationwide surge in thefts of the pricy auto components that play a critical role in lowering car emissions.

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

“We have been very stunned 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 buying and selling the convertors was charged with 40 counts of theft and should face extra prices.

The massive rise in catalytic converters thefts across the nation has hit tens of thousands of automotive and truck homeowners in the pocketbook and frustrated police, who are faced with a crime that takes just minutes to commit and is tough to resolve even if they discover the stolen parts.

Catalytic converters usually are not imprinted at the factory with serial numbers and stolen converters end up on a black market where they're chopped open for the valuable metals they contain.

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

The insurance coverage group counted just 3,969 studies of stolen catalytic converters in 2019, more than 17,000 in 2020 and more than 52,000 final year.

Lawmakers across the nation have taken notice, introducing laws designed to make it tougher for criminals to unload their loot. In accordance with the Nationwide Insurance coverage Crime Bureau, 150 bills have been launched this year in 36 states and enacted in 16 states.

That includes Arizona, where Republican Gov. Doug Ducey signed a invoice this month that makes possession of a catalytic converter in lots of cases against the law and adds detailed reporting necessities for scrap sellers that purchase respectable used gadgets. They need to mark the merchandise with the donor car's serial quantity and retain it for no less than every week in authentic condition.

Scrap dealers caught with unregistered or stolen converters face a $500 high-quality for the first offense, a $2,000 fantastic for a second and no less than double that for each extra 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 legislation is also in the works. Indiana Rep. Jim Baird is sponsoring a bill backed by the National Insurance Crime Bureau that might require serial numbers on new gadgets, offer grants for applications to stamp numbers on present cars 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 helping carry reduction to individuals directly impacted by the thefts.

Insurance often doesn't cover a car owner's losses. Somebody carrying just liability protection or legal responsibility and collision is on the hook for the complete invoice. Even with complete coverage, there's a deductible that could be excessive sufficient that it's not price filing a claim.

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