Phoenix cops discover 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 right into a storage unit, a case that highlights a nationwide surge in thefts of the pricy auto components that play a essential function in reducing vehicle 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 close to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

“We have been very surprised on the amount in there,” Phoenix police Det. Adam Popelier said 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 shopping for and promoting the convertors was charged with 40 counts of theft and will face further fees.

The large rise in catalytic converters thefts throughout the nation has hit tens of thousands of car and truck house owners within the pocketbook and frustrated police, who're faced with against the law that takes just minutes to commit and is tough to unravel even when they find the stolen elements.

Catalytic converters will not be imprinted at the manufacturing facility with serial numbers and stolen converters end up on a black market the place they're chopped open for the precious metals they include.

Changing one can price a motorist from $1,000 to $3,000, according to the Nationwide 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 each converter.

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

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

That features Arizona, the place Republican Gov. Doug Ducey signed a invoice this month that makes possession of a catalytic converter in lots of situations a crime and adds detailed reporting requirements for scrap dealers that purchase legit used gadgets. They have to mark the merchandise with the donor car's serial number and retain it for at least every week in unique situation.

Scrap sellers caught with unregistered or stolen converters face a $500 positive for the primary offense, a $2,000 fantastic for a second and no less than double that for each further time they are caught. Those possessing or making an attempt to promote a used catalytic converter that do not meet new requirements could face a six-month jail sentence.

Federal legislation is also in the works. Indiana Rep. Jim Baird is sponsoring a invoice backed by the Nationwide Insurance coverage Crime Bureau that may require serial numbers on new units, offer grants for packages to stamp numbers on present automobiles and vans and make it easier to prosecute thefts.

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

Insurance coverage often doesn't cover a car proprietor's losses. Somebody carrying simply liability protection or liability and collision is on the hook for the total bill. Even with complete coverage, there's a deductible that may be high enough that it's not price filing a declare.

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