Phoenix cops discover 1,200 catalytic converters as thefts soar

PHOENIX -- An Arizona man was dealing with multiple 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 critical function in reducing vehicle emissions.

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

“We had been very stunned at the amount in there,” Phoenix police Det. Adam Popelier stated 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 promoting the convertors was charged with 40 counts of theft and will face further charges.

The massive rise in catalytic converters thefts across the nation has hit tens of thousands of automotive and truck homeowners within the pocketbook and pissed off police, who're faced with against the law that takes simply minutes to commit and is difficult to unravel even if they find the stolen elements.

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 dear metals they contain.

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

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

Lawmakers across the nation have taken notice, introducing legislation designed to make it more durable for criminals to unload their loot. In accordance with the National Insurance Crime Bureau, 150 bills have been introduced this yr in 36 states and enacted in 16 states.

That features Arizona, where Republican Gov. Doug Ducey signed a invoice this month that makes possession of a catalytic converter in many situations against the law and adds detailed reporting requirements for scrap dealers that purchase official used devices. They need to mark the item with the donor automobile's serial number and retain it for a minimum of every week in original condition.

Scrap sellers caught with unregistered or stolen converters face a $500 high-quality for the first offense, a $2,000 high-quality for a second and at the very least double that for each further time they are 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 National Insurance Crime Bureau that might require serial numbers on new units, supply grants for programs to stamp numbers on existing cars and trucks and make it simpler to prosecute thefts.

The insurance group's President and CEO David Glawe called it a crucial step in helping convey relief to folks straight impacted by the thefts.

Insurance often does not cowl a car owner's losses. Someone carrying just legal responsibility coverage or liability and collision is on the hook for the complete invoice. Even with comprehensive coverage, there is a deductible which may be excessive sufficient that it is not price submitting a claim.

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