Phoenix cops find 1,200 catalytic converters as thefts soar

PHOENIX -- An Arizona man was going through a number of theft charges 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 components that play a vital role in reducing automobile emissions.

The discovery adopted a months-long investigation that began with a January tip that somebody was storing stolen catalytic converters in an industrial space close to Phoenix Sky Harbor Worldwide Airport.

“We had been very shocked on the quantity in there,” Phoenix police Det. Adam Popelier mentioned in a police video taken Thursday as officers had been 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 may face extra costs.

The large rise in catalytic converters thefts across the nation has hit tens of hundreds of automobile and truck owners in the pocketbook and pissed off police, who're faced with a crime that takes simply minutes to commit and is difficult to unravel even if they discover the stolen parts.

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

Replacing one can cost a motorist from $1,000 to $3,000, based on the National Insurance Crime Bureau, an insurance industry group that works to combat insurance fraud and crime. Police say thieves can get from $100 to $150 for every converter.

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

Lawmakers throughout 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 Crime Bureau, 150 payments have been introduced 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 lots of cases a criminal offense and provides detailed reporting necessities for scrap dealers that buy professional used units. They have to mark the merchandise with the donor vehicle's serial number and retain it for at the very least every 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 very least double that for each further time they're caught. Those possessing or trying to sell a used catalytic converter that don't meet new requirements could face a six-month jail sentence.

Federal laws can 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 units, offer grants for packages to stamp numbers on current cars and trucks and make it easier to prosecute thefts.

The insurance group's President and CEO David Glawe known as it a crucial step in serving to deliver aid to folks straight impacted by the thefts.

Insurance coverage often doesn't cowl a automotive owner's losses. Someone carrying simply legal responsibility coverage or legal responsibility and collision is on the hook for the total invoice. Even with comprehensive coverage, there is a deductible which may be excessive enough that it isn't value filing a claim.

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