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 greater than 1,200 catalytic converters packed into a storage unit, a case that highlights a national surge in thefts of the pricy auto elements that play a important role in decreasing automobile emissions.

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

“We were very shocked 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 promoting the convertors was charged with 40 counts of theft and should face extra costs.

The huge rise in catalytic converters thefts across the nation has hit tens of hundreds of car and truck homeowners in the pocketbook and annoyed police, who are confronted with a crime that takes just minutes to commit and is difficult to unravel even if they find the stolen elements.

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

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

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

Lawmakers across the nation have taken discover, introducing legislation designed to make it more durable for criminals to unload their loot. In response to the Nationwide Insurance coverage Crime Bureau, 150 payments have been launched this yr in 36 states and enacted in 16 states.

That includes Arizona, where Republican Gov. Doug Ducey signed a bill this month that makes possession of a catalytic converter in lots of situations a criminal offense and provides detailed reporting requirements for scrap sellers that purchase reliable used gadgets. They need to mark the item with the donor car's serial number and retain it for at the least a week in authentic situation.

Scrap dealers caught with unregistered or stolen converters face a $500 superb for the primary offense, a $2,000 effective for a second and no less than double that for each further time they are caught. Those possessing or trying to sell a used catalytic converter that do not meet new necessities might face a six-month jail sentence.

Federal legislation is also in the works. Indiana Rep. Jim Baird is sponsoring a invoice backed by the National Insurance coverage Crime Bureau that may require serial numbers on new gadgets, offer grants for applications to stamp numbers on present vehicles and trucks and make it easier to prosecute thefts.

The insurance coverage group's President and CEO David Glawe known as it a vital step in helping carry relief to individuals immediately impacted by the thefts.

Insurance usually does not cover a automotive owner's losses. Someone carrying simply liability protection or legal responsibility and collision is on the hook for the complete invoice. Even with comprehensive coverage, there is a deductible that could be high enough that it isn't worth submitting a claim.

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