Phoenix cops find 1,200 catalytic converters as thefts soar

PHOENIX -- An Arizona man was going through multiple theft prices Friday after detectives discovered more than 1,200 catalytic converters packed into a storage unit, a case that highlights a national surge in thefts of the pricy auto parts that play a critical function in lowering car emissions.

The invention 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 on the quantity in there,” Phoenix police Det. Adam Popelier stated 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 selling the convertors was charged with 40 counts of theft and should face additional fees.

The large rise in catalytic converters thefts throughout the nation has hit tens of hundreds of automotive and truck owners in the pocketbook and annoyed police, who are faced with a criminal offense that takes just minutes to commit and is difficult to solve even if they discover the stolen elements.

Catalytic converters are not imprinted at the manufacturing facility with serial numbers and stolen converters find yourself on a black market where they are chopped open for the valuable metals they include.

Replacing one can cost a motorist from $1,000 to $3,000, in line with the National Insurance coverage Crime Bureau, an insurance coverage industry 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 just 3,969 reviews of stolen catalytic converters in 2019, more 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. Based on the National Insurance coverage Crime Bureau, 150 bills have been launched this yr 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 many situations a crime and adds detailed reporting necessities for scrap dealers that purchase reliable used gadgets. They need to mark the merchandise with the donor car's serial quantity and retain it for a minimum of a week in unique condition.

Scrap dealers caught with unregistered or stolen converters face a $500 nice for the primary offense, a $2,000 tremendous for a second and no less than double that for each further time they are caught. These possessing or attempting to promote a used catalytic converter that don't meet new requirements may 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 units, offer grants for packages to stamp numbers on present cars and vans and make it simpler to prosecute thefts.

The insurance group's President and CEO David Glawe known as it a crucial step in helping convey relief to people immediately impacted by the thefts.

Insurance often does not cowl a automotive proprietor's losses. Someone carrying just liability protection or liability and collision is on the hook for the total bill. Even with comprehensive protection, there's a deductible that could be excessive enough that it isn't price submitting a claim.

“Lastly, some victims even with protection could treat the issue as a mechanical situation and just pay for it themselves and never notify their insurer,” insurance crime bureau spokesperson Tully Lehman stated Friday.