Phoenix cops find 1,200 catalytic converters as thefts soar

PHOENIX -- An Arizona man was facing multiple theft fees Friday after detectives discovered more than 1,200 catalytic converters packed right into a storage unit, a case that highlights a national surge in thefts of the pricy auto parts that play a critical role in reducing vehicle emissions.

The discovery 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 Worldwide Airport.

“We have been very surprised at the amount in there,” Phoenix police Det. Adam Popelier stated 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 buying and selling the convertors was charged with 40 counts of theft and should face extra expenses.

The massive rise in catalytic converters thefts throughout the nation has hit tens of hundreds of automobile and truck owners within the pocketbook and annoyed police, who're faced with a crime that takes simply minutes to commit and is tough to unravel even if they find the stolen parts.

Catalytic converters are not imprinted at the manufacturing unit with serial numbers and stolen converters find yourself on a black market the place they're chopped open for the valuable metals they contain.

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

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

Lawmakers across the nation have taken discover, introducing laws designed to make it harder for criminals to unload their loot. In line with the Nationwide Insurance Crime Bureau, 150 payments have been launched this 12 months 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 instances a crime and provides detailed reporting necessities for scrap dealers that purchase legit used units. They need to mark the item with the donor car's serial quantity and retain it for a minimum of a week in authentic situation.

Scrap sellers caught with unregistered or stolen converters face a $500 superb for the primary offense, a $2,000 fantastic for a second and a minimum of double that for every extra time they're caught. Those possessing or trying to promote a used catalytic converter that don't meet new requirements might face a six-month jail sentence.

Federal legislation can also be in the works. Indiana Rep. Jim Baird is sponsoring a bill backed by the Nationwide Insurance coverage Crime Bureau that may require serial numbers on new devices, offer grants for applications to stamp numbers on current automobiles and trucks and make it simpler to prosecute thefts.

The insurance group's President and CEO David Glawe referred to as it a essential step in helping convey aid to individuals instantly impacted by the thefts.

Insurance coverage often does not cowl a automobile 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's a deductible which may be high sufficient that it is not price submitting a claim.

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