Phoenix cops find 1,200 catalytic converters as thefts soar

PHOENIX -- An Arizona man was dealing with a number of theft fees Friday after detectives found greater than 1,200 catalytic converters packed into a storage unit, a case that highlights a national surge in thefts of the pricy auto elements that play a essential role in reducing automobile emissions.

The invention followed a months-long investigation that began with a January tip that someone was storing stolen catalytic converters in an industrial area close to Phoenix Sky Harbor Worldwide Airport.

“We were very shocked on the quantity in there,” Phoenix police Det. Adam Popelier said 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 charges.

The large rise in catalytic converters thefts across the nation has hit tens of thousands of automotive and truck owners in the pocketbook and frustrated police, who are confronted with a crime that takes just minutes to commit and is difficult to solve even when they discover the stolen parts.

Catalytic converters are usually not imprinted on the manufacturing facility with serial numbers and stolen converters find yourself on a black market the place they're chopped open for the dear metals they comprise.

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

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

Lawmakers across the nation have taken notice, introducing legislation designed to make it harder for criminals to unload their loot. In response to the Nationwide Insurance coverage Crime Bureau, 150 payments have been launched this yr in 36 states and enacted in 16 states.

That features Arizona, where Republican Gov. Doug Ducey signed a bill this month that makes possession of a catalytic converter in lots of instances a crime and adds detailed reporting necessities for scrap dealers that purchase professional used units. They must mark the item with the donor car's serial number and retain it for at least a week in authentic condition.

Scrap dealers caught with unregistered or stolen converters face a $500 positive for the first offense, a $2,000 fantastic for a second and at the very least double that for every additional time they are caught. Those possessing or attempting to promote a used catalytic converter that don't meet new requirements might face a six-month jail sentence.

Federal laws can be in the works. Indiana Rep. Jim Baird is sponsoring a invoice backed by the National Insurance Crime Bureau that would require serial numbers on new devices, offer grants for programs to stamp numbers on current cars and trucks and make it simpler to prosecute thefts.

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

Insurance coverage often doesn't cover a car proprietor's losses. Someone carrying just 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 enough that it isn't value submitting a declare.

“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 coverage crime bureau spokesperson Tully Lehman mentioned Friday.