Phoenix cops find 1,200 catalytic converters as thefts soar

PHOENIX -- An Arizona man was facing a number of theft fees Friday after detectives discovered greater than 1,200 catalytic converters packed right into a storage unit, a case that highlights a nationwide surge in thefts of the pricy auto elements that play a critical function in lowering car 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 close to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

“We had been very stunned at the amount in there,” Phoenix police Det. Adam Popelier said 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 will face extra fees.

The large rise in catalytic converters thefts across the nation has hit tens of hundreds of automobile and truck owners within the pocketbook and annoyed police, who are confronted with a crime that takes simply minutes to commit and is troublesome to solve even if they discover the stolen parts.

Catalytic converters will not be imprinted on the factory with serial numbers and stolen converters end up on a black market the place they are chopped open for the dear metals they contain.

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

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

Lawmakers throughout the nation have taken notice, introducing legislation designed to make it tougher for criminals to unload their loot. In line with the Nationwide Insurance coverage Crime Bureau, 150 bills have been introduced this year 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 against the law and adds detailed reporting requirements for scrap sellers that buy legit used units. They need to mark the item with the donor automobile's serial quantity and retain it for at the very least per week in unique condition.

Scrap sellers caught with unregistered or stolen converters face a $500 superb for the first offense, a $2,000 high-quality for a second and a minimum of double that for each extra time they're caught. Those possessing or making an attempt to promote a used catalytic converter that do not meet new necessities might face a six-month jail sentence.

Federal laws can also be within the works. Indiana Rep. Jim Baird is sponsoring a invoice backed by the National Insurance Crime Bureau that will require serial numbers on new gadgets, supply grants for packages to stamp numbers on current vehicles and vehicles and make it simpler to prosecute thefts.

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

Insurance often doesn't cover a automotive proprietor's losses. Somebody carrying simply liability coverage or legal responsibility and collision is on the hook for the full bill. Even with comprehensive coverage, there's a deductible that may be high enough that it's not value submitting a declare.

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