Phoenix cops find 1,200 catalytic converters as thefts soar

PHOENIX -- An Arizona man was dealing with multiple theft charges Friday after detectives found greater than 1,200 catalytic converters packed into a storage unit, a case that highlights a nationwide surge in thefts of the expensive auto elements that play a vital position in lowering automobile emissions.

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

“We were very shocked on the amount in there,” Phoenix police Det. Adam Popelier mentioned 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 may face further fees.

The massive rise in catalytic converters thefts throughout the nation has hit tens of thousands of automotive and truck house owners within the pocketbook and annoyed police, who are faced with against the law that takes simply minutes to commit and is difficult to unravel even if they discover the stolen components.

Catalytic converters will not be imprinted on the manufacturing unit with serial numbers and stolen converters find yourself on a black market where they are chopped open for the precious 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 trade 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 greater than 52,000 final yr.

Lawmakers across the nation have taken notice, introducing laws designed to make it tougher for criminals to unload their loot. In keeping with the National Insurance 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 invoice this month that makes possession of a catalytic converter in lots of instances against the law and provides detailed reporting necessities for scrap dealers that buy respectable used devices. They need to mark the item with the donor vehicle's serial quantity and retain it for at the least per week in authentic condition.

Scrap dealers caught with unregistered or stolen converters face a $500 nice for the primary offense, a $2,000 superb for a second and not less than double that for every extra time they're caught. Those possessing or making an attempt to sell a used catalytic converter that do not meet new requirements could face a six-month jail sentence.

Federal laws is also within 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, supply grants for programs to stamp numbers on current cars and trucks and make it easier to prosecute thefts.

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

Insurance usually doesn't cover a automotive owner's losses. Someone carrying simply legal responsibility coverage or legal responsibility and collision is on the hook for the total invoice. Even with comprehensive coverage, there is a deductible that could be excessive enough that it is not value filing a declare.

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